PYEONGCHANG, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Lim Hyo-jun of South Korea upset defending Olympic champion Charles Hamelin of Canada to win the men's short track speed skating 1,500 meters gold medal of the PyeongChang Winter Games here Saturday evening.
Lim was delighted after landing the surprising win in front of the joyful home crowd including his family.
"I'm stunned and it's unbelievable, but it's not finished yet. I will also be trying my best for the relay on the 22nd," he said. "Actually, all of my family is here to cheer me on. Also, my parents didn't really contact me before the competition. I think that's because they trusted me with their whole heart and they didn't want to put me under stress. I would like to send a message to my parents that I really love them and thank you for all the support and belief."
Lim told reporters that his coach had helped him release the pressure of competing on home soil.
"I was very overwhelmed because it's my home country. I wanted to show my really good attitude and best efforts, but the coach said, 'Don't stress yourself too hard. Make yourself comfortable'. I just followed his direction and I think that led to better results."
Sjinkie Knegt of the Netherlands narrowly missed the chance to become the first Dutch short track speed skater to win an Olympic gold medal as he took the silver at 2:10.555 while the bronze medal went to Semen Elistratov, a member of the title winning Russian men's relay team at the Sochi Games four years ago.
Elistratov was emotional after fighting hard to win his first Olympic medal in an individual event.
"I have difficulties to hold back my tears. I had said before that any individual medal will be a golden or platinum one for me. I am incredibly happy that I did it, in spite of all the circumstances around Russian sport," said Elistratov. "I dedicate this medal to all guys that have been excluded from these Games. This medal is for you."
Staying back in the pack early in the nine-man final, Lim overtook the lead with two laps to go and held on to cross the line first with two minutes and 10.484 seconds.
The 21-year-old Lim also shattered the Olympic record of 2:10.949 which was set by his compatriot Lee Jung-su at the Vancouver Games in 2010.
Hamelin, who had become the oldest male athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in an individual short track event aged 29 years and 302 days at the Sochi Games four years ago, was disqualified for impeding. Another title favorite Hwang Dae-heon of South Korea crashed out of the race half way and did not finish.
Chinese Han Tianyu, the silver medalist behind Hamelin four years ago, failed to reach the final before settling for the eighth place.
