China has to wait 24 more hours for its first Turin Olympic gold medal as Chinese Wang Manli and Ren Hui finished behind Russian veteran Svetlana Zhurova, who won the women's 500m speedskating on Tuesday.

In a repeat of Monday's figure skating, where Russia's Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin beat three Chinese pairs into second to fourth places, the 34-year-old Zhurova timed 76.57 seconds for two runs, 0.21 ahead of Wang, who has 15 World Cup wins over the past three years.

Zhurova, who recently returned to the rink after a lengthy maternity leave, edged ahead of Wang in the final curve and romped to victory.

Ren picked the bronze in 76.87 seconds.

"I had a baby and a victory, the two things are good," said a smiling Zhurova. "It's unbelievable. I thank God, my baby and everybody.

"This medal is not for me, it was very important for Russia. I did it for my country."

Wang, 32, blamed her weaker nerves for the defeat.

"I just felt total regret," said a weeping Wang. "I lost because I am not as mentally strong as Zhurova."

"Getting silver medal is very happy. Not to get the gold is very sad," she added.

On Wang's performance, Zhurova said: "It's just sport. I'm very sorry for her. You know, second is very close to first but still makes you upset."

China, a summer sports power and a lightweight on ice and snow, has to count on skater Wang Meng, a prospect in the women's 500m short track, to deliver the nation's first Turin gold on Wednesday.

China ended its Winter Olympic gold drought in 2002 as short track skater Yang Yang swept the women's 500m and 1,000m events.

Sweden won its first Winter Olympic golds for 12 years as its men and women triumphed within 20 minutes of each other in the cross-country skiing team sprints.

Thobias Fredriksson and Bjoern Lind sprinted to victory in the men's race just after Anna Dahlberg and Lina Andersson had claimed the women's crown.

Germany's Sylke Otto defended her women's luge title and led her teammates to sweep all the medals.

Otto garnered a four-run time of three minutes, 7.979 seconds for Germany's second gold for the day, holding off Silke Kraushaar by 0.136 and Tatjana Huefner by 0.481.

Earlier Germany's five-time world champion Sven Fischer hit all 20 targets en route to winning the men's 10km biathlon title, with Norway's Halvard Hanevold and Frode Andresen settling for silver and bronze.

Norway's five-time Olympic champion Ole Einar Bjoerndalen missed three targets and was relegated to 12th.

American Ted Ligety triumphed in the Alpine skiing combined in 3:39.35, U.S. fourth gold in Turin. Croatian Ivica Kostelic picked the silver with Austrian Rainer Schoenfelder nabbing the bronze.

Doping reared its ugly head on Tuesday as Brazilian bobsledder Armando dos Santos was sent home in disgrace, having failed a doping test.

The former hammer thrower was kicked out of the Olympic Village when the result of a January test was disclosed, showing he had tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone.

Game Over for Sergei Dolidovich too.

The Belarussian cross-country skier, who was suspended for five days last week for a high haemoglobin value, had his suspension extended for another five days. His only event - the men's team sprint, was already won by Sweden.

Dolidovich was one of 12 suspended athletes. Four were cleared on Monday, while the others have not yet been tested again.

Source: Xinhua