Shani Davis wins 1,000 at World Cup speedskating meet

KEARNS, Utah — South Korea’s Lee Sang-Hwa broke the world record in the women’s 500 meters for the second straight day and third time in eight days, finishing in 36.36 seconds Saturday in a World Cup speedskating meet at the Utah Olympic Oval.

The 24-year-old defending Olympic champion broke her own record last Saturday in Calgary, Alberta, with a run of 36.74 and topped it again Friday in Kearns with a 36.57.

Lee declined to take to the media after the race.

Heather Richardson was second in a U.S.-record 36.90. Olga Fatkulina followed in a Russian-record 37.13.

American Shani Davis, who is from Chicago, won the men’s 1,000 a day after taking the 1,500.

The two-time Olympic champion finished in 1:06.02 in the 1,000.

“I know I don’t have a lot of my speed yet, but doing a 24.6 lap is really good considering my condition,” Davis said. “I just look to improve from this race.”

The Netherlands’ Kjeld Nuis followed in 1:07.02, and American Brian Hansen was third in 1:07.03.

Davis won in front of his family and friends.

“It’s always such a great feeling to be able to compete against the world at your best, and do your best, on home soil,” he said.

The Netherlands’ Ireen Wust won the women’s 1,500 in a national-record 1:52.08. Brittany Bowe was second in a U.S.-record 1:52.4, and Richardson followed in a personal-best 1:52.55

“It felt great,” Bowe said. “I couldn’t be happier on the podium with my teammate, as well. That’s just icing on the cake.”

The Netherlands won the men’s team pursuit in a world record 3:35.60. Jan Blokhuijsen, Koen Verweij and Sven Kramer broke the mark of 3:37.17 that they set last weekend in Calgary.

Davis, Hansen and teammate Jonathan Kuck finished second in 3:37.22, and South Korea’s Lee Seung-Hoon, Kim Cheol-min and Joo Hyong-Jun followed in 3:37.51.