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Shim Suk-hee wins silver in women’s 1,500 meters

February 15, 2014
Women's 1,500-meter short track speedskating medalists, from left, Italy's Arianna Fontana, bronze, China's Zhou Yang, gold, and South Korea's Shim Suk-hee, silver, pose with their medals at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Women’s 1,500-meter short track speedskating medalists, from left, Italy’s Arianna Fontana, bronze, China’s Zhou Yang, gold, and South Korea’s Shim Suk-hee, silver, pose with their medals at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

South Korean short tracker Shim Suk-hee won the silver medal in the women’s 1,500ｍ at the Sochi Winter Olympics on Saturday.

The 17-year-old earned her first Olympic medal in the final at Iceberg Skating Palace, finishing just behind Zhou Yang of China. Arianna Fontana of Italy grabbed the bronze.

Zhou defended her Olympic gold in 2:19.140, while Shim clocked at 2:19.239 followed by Fontana at 2:19.416.

A second South Korean in the final, Kim A-lang, received a penalty for her role in a collision with Li Jianrou of China.

Shim and Kim started the 13 1/2-lap race at the back of the pack. Shim first made a move with 10 laps to go, charging out to first place with Fontana right behind her.

After Kim and Li got tangled up midway through, Shim was comfortably in the lead. The South Korean stayed in first place unitl the final stretch, but Zhou, the 2010 Olympic champ in the 1,500ｍ, zipped past Shim with two laps to go and didn’t look back.

Shim had entered the final as the heavy favorite. She had won the 1,500ｍ title at three of the four World Cup stops this season.

South Korea has been by far the most successful country in Olympic short track since it became a medal sport in 1992. Heading into Sochi, South Korea had won 19 gold medals, more than any other nation. South Korea is the only country to have won at least one short track gold medal at every Winter Games.

In Sochi, however, South Korea is still seeking its first short track gold. Park Seung-hi won the bronze in the women’s 500ｍ on Thursday.