Speed Skating - Ladies' 1000 m -2014 Winter Olympics

 Zhang Hong

( 张虹)

Gold Medal

China

Zhang Hong (Chinese: 张虹; born 12 April 1988) is a Chinese long track speed skater, known best from her gold medal in the 1000 meters in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Previously Zhang won a bronze medal in the 2012 World Sprint Speed Skating Championships. She set two personal records and received bronze medal in the 500 meters (28 January 2012). Her total points record for the championships (all four races) was the third best of all times. She started her skating career in 2008 and had victories in the Chinese National Winter Games 2012 where she represented the People's Liberation Army delegation.

Heather Richardson

7th Place

USA

Heather Richardson (born March 20, 1989) is an American speed skater who has competed since 2006. She represented the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, where she finished 6th in 500 meters, 9th in the 1000 meters, and 16th in the 1500 meters.

At the 2011 World Single Distance Championships in Inzell, Germany, she won a bronze medal in the 1000 meters. She also placed 8th in the 500 meters, and was part of the team pursuit team that finished in 8th place.

On January 26–27, 2013, Richardson won the gold medal at the 2013 World Sprint Championships in Salt Lake City, United States.