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Chinese Wang Beixing competes in the women's 1,000m speed skating finals at the 6th Asian Winter Games in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, Feb. 1, 2007. Wang Beixing on Thursday won the gold medal of the event. (Xinhua Photo/Wang Yuguo)
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Gallery>>> | CHANGCHUN,
Northeast China, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Wang Beixing crossed the finish line first
with arch rival Lee Sang-Hwa behind, achieving a sweet revenge against the South
Korean teenager.
Lee had out-raced Wang for four times in the 500m
speed skating events in the World Cup series this season.
It was only a start of Wang's medal haul when she
triumphed in the 500m event with a new Asian mark of 38.02 seconds at the sixth
Asian Winter Games here on Tuesday.
"I am surprised," said Kevin Crockett, Wang's coach.
"I knew she can win, but I didn't expect her to dominate."
The 17-year-old Lee, five-time World Cup winner this
season and the newly-crowned Universiade champion in Turin in January, was 0.85
seconds behind in total after two rounds.
Wang's show continued here when she triumphed in the
1,000m event in another Asian mark of 1:17.35, 0.21 seconds faster than Lee,
after she took the silver medal in the 100m sprints just behind her teammate
Xing Aihua but ahead of Lee.
"I well prepared for this tournament," said Wang. "I
am here only for the gold medal."
The 21-year-old Wang, dedicated her performance here
to the training in Canada under the coaching of Kevin Crockett, the bronze
medallist of the Winter Olympics in Nagano in 1998.
"I worked very well with my coach Kevin," said Wang.
"His way of coaching just fits me and I have improved much in the last three
years."
Wang was among the first group of six Chinese young
skaters to be sent to Calgary, Canada for training.
"She is really smart," said Crockett. "She had major
problems when I started to coach her three years ago. But she made amazing
improvement in very short time."
Wang took her first title in the World Cup series in
Salt Lake City early 2005, and has won one gold and five bronze medals in the
500m event in the 2006-2007 World Cup series, becoming one of the leading
skaters among the young Chinese speed skating team.
Wang, who has a vivid lineament and a beautiful
figure, became a star here in just a couple of days.
However, Wang had missed a chance to be famous in
China as she finished a disappointing 7th in the 500m event at the Turin Winter
Olympic Games after being regarded as a serious medal contender.
"I didn't perform well in Turin," said Wang. "My next goal is the Olympic Games in Vancouver. I will do my best to get a better result." [1] [2] [3] [4]
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