Sochi Short Track: China's Zhou Yang Wins 1,500 Gold; Russia's Viktor Ahn Wins 1,000

Zhou Yang of China won the women's 1,500-meter short track gold medal, successfully defending the Olympic title she won four years ago. Viktor Ahn of Russia won the gold in the men's 1,000 soon after, with teammate Vladimir Grigorev taking the silver.

Zhou overcame a false start to win Saturday at the Iceberg Skating Palace. Shim Suk-hee of South Korea earned the silver. Arianna Fontana of Italy took the bronze, earning her second short track medal of these games. Fontana won silver in the 500.

There was a three-skater crash in the final involving 500 gold medalist Li Jianrou of China, Kim Alang of South Korea and Emily Scott of Springfield, Mo. All three wiped out in the turn with seven laps to go.

Scott finished fifth while Kim was disqualified and Li didn't finish.

On the men's side, the mostly Russian crowd at the Palace erupted as Ahn and Grigorev crossed the finish line.

Sjinkie Knegt of the Netherlands claimed the bronze.

It was Ahn's second medal of the Sochi Olympics, having given his adopted country its first short track medal with a bronze in the 1,500. Ahn was born in South Korea and competed in the Olympics for his native country before becoming a Russian citizen in 2011.

The judges disqualified Sin Da-woon of South Korea.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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