Wang Meng keeps winning steak at World Cup

SHANGHAI - Chinese star speedskater Wang Meng remained unbeaten in the women's 500m at the ISU World Cup Short Track Series after winning the event for the fourth time this season on Sunday.

Wang Meng competes in the women's 500m finals during the ISU Short Track World Cup Series in Shanghai, on Dec 9, 2012. [Photo/CFP]

Wang, a four-time Olympic gold medallist, established an early lead in the final with younger teammate Fan Kexin as the other two competitors slipped out of contention shortly after the start.

Wang led all the way to win in 43.743 seconds, ahead of runner-up Fan who clocked 43.975 seconds. Marianne St-Gelais of Canada came third in a distant 53.900.

"I don't think I have a clear edge over others in the 500m. We are roughly at the same level," said a modest Wang.

The 28-year-old Wang, who was expelled from the national team for punching team manager after breaking the team rules and only had her suspension lifted in September, attributed her comfortable victory to teamwork.

"The Canadian skaters are strong in short and middle distance. My teammate Fan helped me a lot today as she broke the rhythm of the Canadians. Without her help, my race couldn't haven been so smooth."

Wang also led the Chinese women's team to triumph in the 3,000m relay.

Members of Chinese women's short-track relay team, (From left to right) Wang Meng, Fan Kexin, Kong Xue and Li Jianrou hold the Chinese national flag to celebrate after winning the women's 3000m relay finals during ISU Short Track World Cup in Shanghai, on Dec 9, 2012. [Photo/CFP]

The Chinese team of Wang, Li Jianrou, Kong Xue and Fan Kexin timed 4:07.660 in the final, followed by Japan in 4:10.736 and Italy in 4:14.150.

South Korea didn't make the final A but broke the world record in the final B with a time of 4:06.366.

"The most important is winning the relay," said Wang. "We did good teamwork."

But Chinese men's team failed to make the final A of the 5,000m relay, which was won by South Korea in 6:38.749. The Netherlands and Canada came second and third respectively.

South Korean teenager Shim Suk-hee captured her second gold in Shanghai after winning the women's 1,000m on Sunday.

The 15-year-old Shim, who defeated Li Jianrou of China to take the 1,500m race Saturday, timed one minute 30.603 seconds to edge out her Chinese rival again in the 1,000m final by 0.007 seconds.

"Although I won the gold, I still feel not much confident," said Shim. "I will keep training hard to get better results."

Canada pocketed the men's 500m gold through Charles Hamelin, who clocked a time of 40.821 seconds to beat Russian Vladimir Grigorev (40.854) and Wu Dajiang of China (41.687).

The 2012/2013 ISU World Cup Short Track includes six stops, namely Calgary, Montreal, Nagoya, Shanghai, Sochi and Dresden. The Shanghai leg runs from Dec 7 to 9.

Wang Meng celebrates after winning the women's 500m finals during the ISU Short Track World Cup Series in Shanghai, on Dec 9, 2012. [Photo/CFP]