Canada and South Korea secure three golds at ISU Short Track World Cup

Choi Min-jeong claimed victory in the women's 500m event ©Getty Images

Choi Min-jeong continued her excellent start to the International Skating Union (ISU) Short Track World Cup season as the South Korean claimed victory in the women’s 500 metres on the second day of competition in Toronto.

The reigning overall short-track world champion had claimed victory in the 1,500m on the opening day of the meet and triumphed over the shorter distance as well by crossing the line in a time of 42.998sec.

Canada’s Marianne St-Gelais finished just 0.001 behind Min-jeong, to maintain her position at the top of the World Cup standings for the distance, while China’s Yutong Han completed the top three after clocking a time of 43.117.

Min-jeong’s compatriot Suk Hee Shim won her second gold in the women’s 1,000m after completing the distance in a time of 1min 33.964sec, with Britain’s Elise Christie and The Netherlands’ Jorien ter Mors securing podium positions having finished in 1:34.028 and 1:34.041 respectively.

South Korean domination in the women’s competitions was confirmed after they held off the challenge of China to take the 3,000m relay title in a time of 4:14.148.

Russia claimed the bronze medal after their team produced a solid display to finish third.

Charles Hamelin was one of three Canadian triumphs in Toronto ©Getty Images

The men’s competitions saw Canadian skaters come to the fore with Charles Hamelin earning their first triumph by edging ahead of Hungarian duo Shaolin Sandor Liu and Viktor Knoch to take gold on home ice in 40.691.

Hamelin’s team-mate Charle Cournoyer then delivered a superb performance in the 1,000m as he took charge of the race and crossed the line in 1:26.998 to secure the first World Cup victory of his career.

South Korea’s Yi Ra Seo and Yoon-Gy Kwak were forced to settle for the minor medals after finishing in times of 1:27.029 and 1:27.114 respectively.

A closely fought men’s 5,000m relay saw four countries battling for the title but the hosts once again proved too strong for their rivals as they crossed the line in 6:58.715, with South Korea and China completing the podium after ending narrowly adrift in 6:58.733 and 6:58.817.