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World and U.S. short track speedskating records fall on fast Utah ice

By Beau DureNov 4, 2019, 5:52 PM EST
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Alysa Liu repeats as U.S. figure skating champion at age 14 Gracie Gold Gracie Gold in tears at figure skating nationals after emotional comeback WATCH LIVE: U.S. Figure Skating Championships rhythm dance, women’s free skate

Canadian short track speedskater Kim Boutin set a world record in the 500 meters and Kristen Santos set a U.S. record at 1,000m at the first World Cup stop of the season over the weekend at Utah Olympic Oval.

Boutin became the first woman to complete short track’s shortest distance in less than 42 seconds, racing to a time of 41.936 seconds in the semifinals. She went on to win the event along with the 1,500m.

The previous record of 42.335 seconds, posted in 2016 by Britain’s Elise Christie, also was set at the facility outside Salt Lake City.

Santos set her record in the semifinals with a time of 1:28.485, breaking the 2016 record of Olympic medalist Katherine Reutter. That time still wasn’t fast enough to advance past the semifinals, and she wound up finishing third in the B final.

The only other U.S. skater to reach a B final was Corinne Stoddard in the 1,500m, though the mixed relay team of Santos, Maame Biney, Aaron Tran and Thomas Hong beat Canada to take fourth.

As a reminder, you can watch the events from the 2019-20 speed skating season live and on-demand with the ‘Speed Skating Pass’ on NBC Sports Gold. Go here to sign up for access. NBC Sports Gold gives subscribers an unprecedented level of access on more platforms and devices than ever before.

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Fan voting starts for U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame

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By Beau DureAug 12, 2019, 1:31 PM EDT
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Alysa Liu repeats as U.S. figure skating champion at age 14 Gracie Gold Gracie Gold in tears at figure skating nationals after emotional comeback WATCH LIVE: U.S. Figure Skating Championships rhythm dance, women’s free skate

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee announced finalists Monday for the organization’s Hall of Fame.

Fans can vote as part of a process that selects five Olympians, three Paralympians and one team from a final list of 15 Olympians, nine Paralympians and three teams. Other voters include U.S. Olympians and Paralympians, national governing bodies and multisport organizations, the USOPC board, select members of the media, and USOPC corporate partners.

The nominees are:

Olympic:

  • Gary Anderson, shooting: Gold medalist in 1964 and 1968
  • Greg Barton, canoe/kayak: First American to win kayaking gold (1988)
  • Laura Berg, softball: Center fielder, gold medalist in 1996, 2000 and 2004
  • Anne Donovan, basketball: Center, gold medalist in 1984 and 1998
  • Lisa Leslie, basketball: Second player to win four Olympic golds (1996-2008)
  • Nastia Liukin, gymnastics: 2008 all-around gold medalist, five total medals
  • John Mayasich, ice hockey: Gold medalist in 1960, leading scorer on silver-medal team in 1956
  • Misty May-Treanor, beach volleyball: Gold medalist (with Kerri Walsh Jennings) in 2004, 2008 and 2012
  • Jonny Moseley, freestyle skiing: Gold medalist in moguls in 1998
  • Apolo Anton Ohno, short-track speed skating: Eight medals in 2002, 2006 and 2010
  • Mark Reynolds, sailing: Gold medalist in 1992 and 2000
  • Angela Ruggiero, ice hockey: Gold medalist in 1998, other medals in 2002, 2006 and 2010, all-time leader in games played
  • John Smith, wrestling: Gold medalist in 1988 and 1992
  • Dara Torres, swimming: 12 medals from 1984 (age 17) to 2008 (age 41)
  • Brenda Villa, water polo: Gold medalist in 2012, other medals in 2000, 2004 and 2008

Paralympic:

  • Cheri Blauwet, track and field: Seven medals in three Paralympics, several major marathon wins
  • Candace Cable, track and field, Nordic skiing, alpine skiing: First American woman to win medals in summer and winter
  • Muffy Davis, cycling, alpine skiing: Four medals in skiing before switching to cycling and winning three golds
  • Bart Dodson, track and field: Eight gold medals in 1992 alone, 20 medals total over five Paralympics
  • Greg Mannino, alpine skiing: Six gold medals and 12 total over five Paralympics
  • Erin Popovich, swimming: 14 gold medals and 19 total over three Paralympics
  • Marla Runyan, Para track and field, Para-cycling, Olympic track and field: Six Paralympic medals, first legally blind American to compete in Olympics
  • Chris Waddell, alpine skiing, track and field: 12 Paralympic medals in skiing, one in track and field
  • Trischa Zorn, swimming: 52 medals, including 38 gold, over seven Paralympics

Team:

  • 1996 U.S. Olympic women’s basketball: Led by Leslie (19.5 points per game, 7.2 rebounds per game), Katrina McClain (8.2 rebounds per game) and Teresa Edwards (7.3 assists per game)
  • 1998 U.S. Olympic women’s ice hockey: Upset Canada 3-1 in final, team included Ruggiero, Cammi Granato and Tricia Dunn
  • 2010 U.S. Olympic four-man bobsled: Won gold medal with driver Steven Holcomb and push athletes Steve Mesler, Curtis Tomasevicz and Justin Olsen

Fan voting continues at TeamUSA.org until Sept. 3.

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World’s top short track speed skater banned after pulling down teammate’s pants

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By OlympicTalkAug 8, 2019, 10:29 PM EDT
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Lim Hyo-Jun, short track speed skating’s world overall champion, has been banned one year after pulling down the pants of a male teammate in front of female skaters, according to multiple South Korean media reports citing the nation’s skating federation.

Lim, who earned South Korea’s first gold medal of the PyeongChang Olympics in the 1500m, pulled down the pants of a younger teammate at a national training center on June 17, according to Yonhap News Agency.

South Korea’s skating federation doled out the ban for sexual harassment after reviewing video of the inident and speaking with Lim and the unnamed teammate, according to the report.

Lim, who was dubbed a “virtual unknown” upon winning South Korea’s Olympic Trials, followed his PyeongChang gold by winning world titles in the overall, 1000m, 1500m, 3000m and 5000m relay in March.

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MORE: Decorated South Korean Olympian suspended one year