World champion wins 1,500m speedskating World Cup title

Speed skating world champion Chad Hedrick of the United States won the 1,500 meters in a personal best time at the World Cup in Heerenveen, the Netherlands on Saturday, while Renate Groenewold of the Netherlands won the women's 5,000 meters.

Hedrick timed 1 minute 47.06 seconds for his first World Cup victory this season, beating two Dutch skaters Simon Kuipers and Beorn Nijenhuis to second and third respectively in 1:47.31 and 1:47.38.

In the final heat, both U.S. Olympic champion and world record-holder Derrek Parra and track record-holder Erben Wennemars of the Netherlands looked faster for the first three laps, but blew up inthe final meters to finish seventh and ninth.

In the women's event, Groenewold survived a last-minute attack from Canada's Clara Hughes, winner of the 5,000-meter season opener in Hamar. Groenewold won by 0.03 seconds, and the length ofa toe.

"Winning a medal isn't new for me, but usually there's a Germanor Canadian woman in front of me," Groenewold said. "It surprises me that I won today, because I believe that I can go faster."

Dutchwoman Gretha Smith was third in 7.04.09.

The World Cup meet in Heerenveen continues on Sunday with the men's 10,000 and women's 1,500.

Source: Xinhua