Speed Skating short-track records tumble at W.Cup

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Speed Skating short-track records tumble at W.Cup

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China's world record-holder Wang Meng won the women's 500m final in 43.240.

22 October,2012 10:10 am

American J.R. Celski become the first short-track speedskater to break the 40-second barrier over 500 meters Sunday, setting a world record of 39.973 in a World Cup final.I wasnt really expecting to go that fast today because its been a long weekend of racing, Celski said. Ice kind of tends to break down over time, but it held its ground and Im really excited to come out with that world record today.South Koreas Kwak Yoon-Gy and Shim Suk-Hee also re-wrote the record books, in the mens and womens 1,000m semi-finals.Kwak broke the mens record with a time of 1:23.007, and Shim set the womens mark in 1:26.661.The previous record for the mens 500m was 40.344sec, set by Russian Vladimir Grigorev in heats here on Friday.In the 1,000m, Kwak bettered the previous record of 1:23.454 set by Canadian Charles Hamelin in Montreal on January 18, 2009.Shim beat the womens 1,000m mark of 1:27.653 established Canadian Valerie Maltais in qualifying here on Friday.Shim went on to win the womens final in 1:29.247, but Russias Victor An won the mens 1,000m final in 1:24.519.Chinas world record-holder Wang Meng won the womens 500m final in 43.240.In all, six world records fell in three days of competition, including 5,000m relay mark.