SOCHI, March 24 (R-Sport) - Vancouver Olympic champion speedskater Lee Sang-Hwa retained her title in the 500 meters at the World Single Distance Championships in Sochi on Sunday.
The Korean led after the first run as the only athlete to beat 38 seconds, clocking 37.69 and was even faster in the second attempt with 37.65-second run.
China’s Beixing Wang took silver, 0.7 seconds behind Lee.
Russia's Olga Fatkulina, who triumphed at the 1,000 meters on Saturday, claimed bronze after finishing 0.04 seconds behind Wang.
Later Sunday, the championships end with the men’s 500 meter event and both men's and women's team pursuit races.
The championships are the first international test event for the Adler Arena in the center of the Sochi Olympic Park ahead of next year's Winter Games.
The 8,000-seater venue will share the Olympic speedskating events with the adjacent Iceberg Skating Palace.
