Suzanne Schulting sets world record, defends gold in short track speed skating

Feb. 11 (UPI) -- Suzanne Schulting of the Netherlands set a world speed skating record Friday, winning the women's 1,000-meter short track race at the Winter Games to take her second consecutive gold medal in the event.

Her time of 1:26.514 broke the previous record held by two-time Olympic gold medalist Shim Suk Hee of South Korea, who finished in 1:26.661 at the 2012 Games in Calgary.

The South Korean skater was barred from the Beijing Games by the Korea Skating Union in December after some of her critical text messages were made public.

On Friday, Choi Min-jeong of South Korea took the silver and Hanne Desmet of Belgium notched the bronze, a first for her country.

American Kristen Santos took fourth after a collision with Italian speed skating legend Arianna Fontana that sent both to the ice.

For Schulting, 24, it was her second medal in Beijing. She took silver in the 500-meter race after being overtaken by Italy's Ariana Fontana.

Schulting won the gold in the 1000-meter event at the 2018 Olympics and also took home a bronze in Pyeongchang.