Liu ousted from women's 1,000m short track 1st round

Updated: 2014-02-19 15:11:54

( Xinhua)

Liu ousted from women's 1,000m short track 1st round

China's Liu Qiuhong leads during a women's 1,500 metres short track speed skating heat event at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, Feb 15, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

Liu ousted from women's 1,000m short track 1st round

SOCHI - Chinese short tracker Liu Qiuhong became the only Chinese, out of three on Tuesday, failing to make Friday evening's quarterfinals of the women's 1,000m event.

The 25-year-old, who came out the fourth overall in the women's 500m sprint after failing to qualify for A final in the semifinals and coming first in B final five days ago, finished second in heat 4 following the discipline's hot favorite Shim Suk-hee of South Korea, who finished first on 1:31.046.

Liu, however, was disqualified later by a penalty for barring other contenders while overtaking one position ahead with three laps to go.

The third finisher of her group, Marie-Eve Drolet of Canada, thus came up for the quarters as second qualifier from the heat, and Italy's Martina Valcepina who was barred by Liu advanced alongside with Shim and Drolet.

Liu, the runner-up of women's 500m at 2008 and 2009 world championships and of women's 1,500m at 2012 worlds, ranked only 21st 1000m in the 2013-2014 World Cup season.

The Heilongjiang native was expected to be a serious contender at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, but missed the Olympics due to injury.

Other two Chinese Li Jianrou and Fan Kexin both earned their berth in Friday's quarterfinals of the event, after finishing first and second respectively in their own heats.

Another unexpected ouster from the first round was Marianne st-Gelais of Canada as the Vancouver silver medalist of women's 500m sprint and 3,000m relay clashed with Dutch skater Jorien ter Mors just two laps from the start to give up her lead and finished 2:05.206 in heat 8 while Ter Mors advanced by penalty.

Her fellow Canadian Valerie Maltais set a new Olympic record of 1:28.771 in heat 3, dating the former one by China's Zhou Yang of 1:29.049 four years ago in Vancouver.