10.02 Russia's Short Track Medal Hope Disqualified for False Starts

SOCHI, February 10 (R-Sport) – Tatiana Borodulina, a Russian medal hope in speedskating, was disqualified from the 500-meter heats on Monday for two false starts.

The four-time European champion, 29, made the infraction in the first of eight heats at the Iceberg Skating Palace. The heat was won by three-time 3,000-meter relay champion Liu Qiuhong of China.

Borodulina competed for Australia at the Vancouver Games of 2010, coming 11th in the 1,500-meter finals.

The contenders for gold in the discipline are Fan Kexin of China, Arianna Fontana of Italy, Park Seung-hi of South Korea, among others.

The competition has been marked by the pre-Games withdrawal of Vancouver gold medalist Wang Meng of China, throwing the field wide open.