Wu Dajing (front) of China in action during the Final A of men's 500m race at the ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating series in Dordrecht, the Netherlands, Nov. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)
Olympic champion Wu Dajing won the men's 500m, and his compatriot Ren Ziwei took gold in men's 1,500m at the Short Track World Cup series in Dordrecht, the Netherlands.
THE HAGUE, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- China's Wu Dajing and Ren Ziwei won titles in the men's 500m and 1,500m events respectively at the ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating series in Dordrecht, the Netherlands on Saturday, putting their rivals on alert ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
In the men's 500m final, Olympic champion Wu started in pole position and led the entire race in an ominous display ahead of his title defense at Beijing 2022. Canadian skater Steven Dubois took the silver, while Konstantin Ivliev of Russia claimed the bronze.
Olympic silver medalist Ren took a clear lead from 55 seconds in the men's 1,500m final and gave his opponents no chance to close the gap. With the victory, Ren confirms his status as one of the favorites to win what would be his first individual Olympic medal in Beijing.
Ren Ziwei (front) of China celebrates after winning the Final A of the men's 1,500m race at the ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating series, Nov. 27, 2021. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)
In the women's race, Kim Boutin of Canada won the 500m title, while World Cup leader Lee Yubin from South Korea claimed the 1,500m crown.
Also on Saturday, the Chinese team, composed of An Kai, Li Wenlong, Ren Ziwei and Sun Long, came in second to book a spot in the men's 5,000m relay final.
The event, which serves as a qualifying tournament for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, ends Sunday with the 1,000m and relay races. ■
