Han Yutong wins first medal for China in ISU World Cup season opener

WASHINGTON - China pocketed its first medal in the new season of ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating as Han Yutong grabbed the bronze in the the women's 1,500m race at Salt Lake City on Saturday.

Han, who overtook South Korea's Kim Alangon in the last lap, clocked 2:22.282 to take the bronze. Canadian champion Kim Boutin stormed to the top place in 2:22.061 and Suzanne Schulting of the Netherlands, last season's overall World Cup winner, won the silver in 2:22.211.

Chinese Olympic champion Wu Dajing failed to make the podium, ranking fourth in the men's 500m. Hwang Dae Heon of South Korea dominated to take gold.

Russia's six-time Olympic champion Victor An won the silver and secured a gold medal in the mixed 2,000m relay.

The women's 500m final saw Italy's Martina Valcepina claimed the title ahead of Yara van Kerkhof of the Netherlands and Hungary's Petra Jaszapati.