Netherlands dominate last day of world single distances speed skating championships

WASHINGTON - The Netherlands concluded their ISU World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships campaign in style, winning three of the four golds on offer on the last matchday on Sunday.

33-year-old Ireen Wust set the Dutch to a good start in women's 1,500m, finishing in one minute and 50.925 seconds for her fifth world title in the distance, about one second behind the world record.

"If the conditions [air pressure] would have been the same as last season, a world record would have been possible. You have to be a bit lucky for that, but [not skating a world record] doesn't take anything away from this gold medal," the 20-time world champion was quoted as saying by the official ISU website.

Evgeniia Lalenkova of Russia bagged a silver, her first individual worlds medal, with a time of 1:51.137, 0.28 seconds ahead of compatriot Elizaveta Kazelina. World record holder Tagaki Miho of Japan struggled in Salt Lake City and finished only fourth.

PyeongChang Olympic champion Kjeld Nuis, with a silver and his world record shattered in men's 1,000m on Saturday, changed the medal color to gold in the 1,500m race on Sunday. The world record holder crossed the line in 1:41.664, edging countryman Thomas Krol by a close 0.07 seconds.

"The past two months in my life as a top athlete has not been fun at all, so when I crossed that line and saw that No 1 on the scoreboard, I was stoked," Nuis said. "I'm so proud of myself and of everyone in the team who have always kept faith in me."

Joey Mantia of the United States came third on home ice and China's World Cup leader Ning Zhongyan finished fourth with a personal best result of 1:42.333.

Jorrit Bergsma added another gold to the Netherlands on medal tally in men's mass start with a time of 7:39.490 and the only gold the eluded the Dutch was taken by Canadian Ivanie Blondin in women's mass start.