China wins first gold at 29th Winter Universiade after unexpected victory

23-year-old Chinese skater An Kai came from behind to claim gold in the short track men's 1,500m event on Monday, awarding China its first title at the 29th Winter Universiade.

It was a dramatic final, in which South Korean duo Hong Kyung-hwan and Park Ji-won had established themselves in the top two positions, only to crash into each other on the final lap, putting them both out of the race.

This left An at the head of the field, and the Chinese skater held firm to finish first and claim gold.

China's An Kai celebrates after winning the gold medal in men's 1500m short track speed skating event at the 29th Winter Universiade in Krasnoyarsk, Russia on Mar 4, 2019. [Photo: IC]

"The South Korean guys are really strong, but I just tried to focus on my own pace, and the result turned out to be good," said An.

An also paid tribute to the contribution of his teammates Zhong Yuchen and Chen Yubo.

"It's all about teamwork," said An. "Our training turned out to be fruitful and I will keep trying hard in future competitions."

An will also take part in the 500m and 1,000m events in the coming days.