China’s speed skating sensation Ning Zhongyan stormed to a silver medal in the men’s 1,500-meter race at the ISU Speed Skating World Cup in Calgary, Canada, on Saturday.
Competing against 20 of the world’s best in 10 intense pairs, Ning faced off against American star Jordan Stolz in the final showdown. Stolz, just 20 years old, rocketed to victory with a jaw-dropping track record time of 1 minute 41.22 seconds, notching his 17th consecutive World Cup win.
Ning wasn’t far behind, crossing the finish line just 1.02 seconds later to secure the silver. The race was a nail-biter to the very end, with Norway’s Peder Kongshaug hot on Ning’s heels, finishing only 0.01 seconds behind and taking the bronze.
In the women’s 1,000-meter event, China’s Han Mei dazzled with a bronze medal performance, clocking in at 1 minute 13.58 seconds. The gold went to Japan’s Miho Takagi, who sped to a time of 1 minute 13.10 seconds, while the Netherlands’ Jutta Leerdam claimed silver.
The excitement continues as the ISU Speed Skating World Cup heads to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from January 31 to February 2. Fans worldwide are eager to see if Ning and Han can build on their success and reach the top of the podium.
