South Korean speed skating legend, Lee Seung-Hoon, won the mass start to the delight of the home crowd.
“As the first mass start I feel very happy to do this in front of my home crowd and I am honoured to get so much praise with this medal,” Lee said to the media. “In the mass start it is like a dream to get gold and I can’t put it into words.”
Lee entered the race as the favorite having won the mass start world title in 2016.
He has now won 5 Olympic medals from 2010 through 2018.
Lee was able to win due to the help of his teammate Chung Jae-Won. Chung finished eighth, but was able to set the pace, giving Lee a chance to win in the final lap.
“My teammate helped me a lot. Because of that I was able to do a good job in the sprint at the end,” Lee said after the race.
Nana Takagi is the very first mass start Olympic champion.
The mass start is made its Olympic debut in PyeongChang, after being tested at the junior Olympics.
Takagi is the first women to win two speed skating gold medals in PyeongChang, as she was also a part of Japan’s gold medal team pursuit team. Japan have continued to rewrite their Olympic history in 2018. In PyeongChang, Japan have won six medals speed skating medals, entering the Games the country had four.
Kim Bo-Reum and Irene Schouten followed Takagi on the podium.
“I am very happy with this medal. I will treasure this medal forever,” Kim said after the race. “Ever since when I started at 14 or 15 I wanted to get a medal and I am very happy to get this medal for my country.”
Schouten was not as content with her medal immediately after the race.
“The medal means a lot – now I am a little bit (sad) that I lost the gold but tomorrow and day after I will be happy with the bronze,” Schouten said to the media.
Saskia Alusalu decided to take an early lead in the final in an attempt to hold on all 16 laps. With three laps to go she was passed by the rest of the field, finished fourth overall due to sprint points.
Source: Lee Seung-Hoon makes late push to win mass start gold | NBC Olympics
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