Korean Skaters Excel at World Championships

Korean skaters are topping the medal chart at the 2007 International Skating Union (ISU) World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships. Lee Kang-seok, 22, set a new world record for the 500-meter race.

On Sunday, Kyou-hyuk Lee, 29, one of the oldest Koreans to compete, set a new Korean record for the 1,000-meter race and Sang-hwa Lee, 19, a rising star in women’s speed skating, set a new Korean record for the 500-meter race.

Kyou-hyuk Lee finished the one thousand meter race, which was held in The Utah Olympic Oval in the U.S., in just one minute and 7.51 seconds to place third. He shortened the Korean record he made in November 2005 by 0.65 seconds.

Shani Davis (U.S.), who holds a world record (one minute and 7.03 seconds) won the gold with a time of one minute and 7.28 seconds, while Danny Morrison (Canada) won the silver medal with a time of one minute and 7.30 seconds.

Sang-hwa Lee finished first in the women’s 500-meter race with a time of 37.81 seconds, shortening her record by 0.09 seconds. In the second race, however, she finished in 38.02 seconds, leaving her with a combined score of 75.830 points and in fourth place.

Germany’s Jenny Wolf received a combined score of 74.420 points to win the gold. Beixing Wang, who won the gold at Asian Winter Games in Changchun, China last month, came in second with 74.530 points. Wolf set a new world record in her second 500-meter race with a time of 37.04 seconds.

Sang-hwa Lee will contend for a new Korean record in the women’s 1,000-meter race on March 12.

kimsk@donga.com