The first ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup of the 2016/17 season brought huge successes: the event ended with two gold and two bronze medals for the Hungarian skaters, report moksz.hu and hvg.hu.
Two individual and two relay medals were won by the Hungarian skaters at the ISU (International Skating Union) Short Track Speed Skating World Cup in Calgary, on November 4-6. World Champion skater, Sándor Liu Shaolin won gold in the 500m event with a time of 40.342 and set the new national record herewith.
Furthermore, in the 1000m event Shaoang Ádó Liu ran against two Canadian and a Dutch skaters, and eventually only the two Canadians could finish the laps before him, thus, he won bronze and also set a new national record of 1:23.600.
The other gold was won in the men’s relay of 5000m by Shaoang Liu, Shaolin Sándor Liu, Csaba Burján and Viktor Knoch. After the Korean team slipped 24 laps before the final, it was the battle of the Hungarian and Canadian skaters, alternating at the leading position. Only 9 laps were left when the Canadians slipped, which allowed the Hungarians to focus only on keeping their top position.
They succeeded in doing so and, for the second time, after last year’s victory in Shanghai, they were the ones to receive the gold medals. At the victory ceremony, Bence Oláh joined the boys and also received a medal, because he was running in the pre-heat instead of Knoch.
The ladies’ relay too ended rather successfully for the Hungarians: Zsófia Kónya, Andrea Keszler, Sára Luca Bácskai, and Petra Jászapáti started off carefully, secured the fourth position, and after the Canadians slipped they made no mistake and won bronze for 3000m.
Hungarian viewers of the World Cup could also rooted for Petra Jászapáti in the final of the 500m event, where she ran a new national record, 42.895 in the quarter-final, and later reached the fourth position.
Skaters of 33 nations, 81 female and 80 male athletes, including the 11 Hungarian skaters competed in Calgary at the World Cup. The series continue in Salt Lake City, starting on November 11.
The Hungarian results on the final day of the competition, as compiled by the Hungarian National Skating Federation:
Ladies:
500m: 4. Petra Jászapáti, 30. Rebeka Szilicei Németh
1000m: 19. Sára Luca Bácskai, 22. Andrea Keszler, PEN Zsófia Kónya
3000m relay: 3. Hungary – Zsófia Kónya, Andrea Keszler, Sára Luca Bácskai, Petra Jászapáti
Men:
500m: 1. Shaolin Sándor Liu, 21. Csaba Burján, 42. Alex Varnyú
1000m: 3. Shaoang Liu, 22. Bence Oláh, 24. Viktor Knoch
5000m relay: 1. Hungary – Shaoang Liu, Shaolin Sándor Liu, Csaba Burján, Viktor Knoch, Bence Oláh
Photos: facebook.com/MagyarOrszagosKorcsolyazoSzovetseg
Copy editor: bm