Dutch skater Krol wins his first 1,500m gold at World Cup

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MINSK, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Thomas Krol of the Netherlands won his first men's 1,500 World Cup title with a track-record of one minute and 09.001 seconds here on Saturday in a race that saw four Dutchmen in top five.

The only non-Dutch skater on the podium was Ning Zhongyan of China, who finished second in 1:09.220, winning his second silver at the season opener after one from the men's team sprint event on Friday.

Ning, 20, had demonstrated fine form in the Fall Classic in Calgary, Canada in September, breaking the men's 1,000m national record with a result of 1:07.73.

Starting in the sixth pair, Ning sliced 0.01 second off track record set by Kjeld Nuis of the Netherlands to take a temporary lead. The Dutch world record holder later lined up on the ice with Krol in the last pair for his 15th World Cup title in the distance, but was bested by his fellow countryman and bagged a bronze.

Kodaira Nao's 23-race winning streak in the World Cup women's 500m was snapped by Olga Fatkulina, who led a one-two finish for Russia with Daria Kachanova and set the new track record of 37.920 seconds.

The Japanese Pyeongchang Olympic champion had to skate alone in the last pair after world champion Vanessa Herzog of Austria was disqualified for a second false start and settled for a bronze in 38.172.

The Netherlands had two more victories on Saturday as five-time Olympic champion Ireen Wust crossed the finish line in 1:56.468 for women's 1,500m title, and Jorrit Bergsma, who claimed a silver from men's 5,000m on Friday, changed the medal color to gold in mass start.

The World Cup will conclude on Sunday after men's 500m and 1,500m, and women's 1,000m and mass start. Enditem

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