SOCHI, Russia — Denis Yuskov won the men’s 1,500-meter title Thursday for Russia’s first gold medal at the speedskating world championships since 1996.
In the women’s race, 2006 Turin Olympics champion Ireen Wust of the Netherlands won her second worlds gold in the 3,000.
Yuskov finished in one minute 46.32 seconds to edge out Olympic 1,000 champion Shani Davis of the United States by 0.51 and compatriot Ivan Skobrev by 0.65 at the Sochi Olympics venue.
Davis, three-time world champion at the distance, led by almost a second ahead with one lap left but Yuskov clocked the fastest time of 28.2 seconds for the last 400 metres to clinch victory.
“It was my best run this season,” Yuskov said. “Some five minutes before the heat, I decided that I would make a quick start, and it helped me eventually.”
Lucas Makowsky of Regina was 19th. Defending champion Denny Morrison, of Fort St. John, B.C., did not take part in the race, but will skate the 1,000 metres Friday as he returns from a broken leg.
Wust timed 4:02.43 to claim her seventh worlds gold. Defending champion Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic was 2.37 seconds behind, with five-time Olympic winner Claudia Pechstein of Germany 5.32 back to claim her 38th podium finish at the worlds.
Ottawa’s Ivanie Blondin was 15th, while Winnipeggers Brittany Schussler and Cindy Klassen came in 16th and 19th respectively.
The worlds at Adler Arena continues Friday with the women’s 1,500 and men’s 1,000 and 5,000.
