Russia's Pavel Kulizhnikov clinched another World Cup win in Poland today ©Getty Images

Russia's Pavel Kulizhnikov and Austria's Vanessa Herzog both recorded their second victories over 500 metres at the International Skating Union Speed Skating World Cup in Tomaszów Mazowiecki in Poland.

Both skaters sealed success over the shortest distance as the World Cup opened at the Arena Lodowa yesterday.

They each backed-up those displays today as Kulizhnikov claimed a third victory after also winning the 1,000m on day one.

The Russian, the world record holder over 500m, was timed at 34.672sec to set a new best time for the track.

He returned to training in July this year having had knee surgery the previous month but is a controversial figure after serving a two-year drugs ban earlier in his career.

Kulizhnikov was also cleared following a meldonium failure in 2016 and was barred from the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics under International Olympic Committee rules blocking those who had served suspensions.

Japan claimed both silver and bronze today, with Tatsuya Shinhama second in 34.876 and Yuma Murakami third in 34.953.

Shinhama is top of the 500m leaderboard on 296 points.

Norway's Olympic champion Håvard Holmefjord Lorentzen had to settle for sixth spot on 35.260.

Herzog also set a track record in her victory as she finished in 37.949.

Olga Fatkulina won silver for Russia in 38.104 as American Brittany Bowe stopped the watches at 38.231 for bronze.

The Austrian leads the 500m standings on 336 points.

Vanessa Herzog made it back-to-back women's 500m victories ©Getty Images
Vanessa Herzog made it back-to-back women's 500m victories ©Getty Images

The men's and women's 1,500m titles were also contested on day two of the event.

Denis Yuskov, another Russian banned from Pyeongchang 2018, won the men's race in a track record 1min 46.783sec.

Seitaro Ichinohe of Japan was second in 1:47.381 with South Korea's Min Seok Kim third in 1:47.851.

Yuskov has now won both of the 1,500m races he has contested this season but he was absent last time out in Tomakomaii in Japan.

It means Ichinohe leads the World Cup rankings with a points total of 137.

Dutch Olympic champion Kjeld Nuis was not in action in Poland today.

Pyeongchang 2018 team pursuit gold medallist Miho Takagi won the women's 1,500m crown for Japan.

She clocked a track record 1:57.325 to edge five-time Olympic champion Ireen Wüst of The Netherlands into silver on 1:58.218.

Bowe won another bronze as she timed in at 1:58.254.

Takagi has 168 points to lead the overall standings.

The World Cup will conclude tomorrow when distance races will take centre stage.

The men will race over 10,000m with the women tackling 5,000m, while the team sprint events will also be held.