S. Korean short tracker captures World Cup title at home

GANGNEUNG -- South Korean short track star Shim Suk-hee captured her first medal of the ongoing International Skating Union (ISU) World Cup Short Track Speed Skating at home Saturday.

Shim won the women's 1,500m final at Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, 230 kilometers east of Seoul. The World Cup is an Olympic test event for the new arena, which will host short track at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games. Gangneung is one of the sub-hosts of the Olympics and will also stage figure skating, speed skating and hockey.

With Saturday's victory, Shim remains unbeaten in the 1,500m at four World Cups this season. She's the world No. 1 in that distance. The 19-year-old, a relay gold medalist at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games, is considered a strong contender for multiple titles at the 2018 Olympics.

Shim Suk-hee(right) after Saturday's victory. (Yonhap)

The men's 1,500m final, and the men's and the women's 1,000m finals will take place later Saturday. The World Cup will wrap up Sunday with the second 1,000m finals for both men and women, 500m finals and the relay finals. (Yonhap)