Winter Olympics: Lee Seung-hoon wins gold in mass start in Pyeongchang

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Lee Seung-hoon picked up South Korea's second medal in the mass start

South Korea's Lee Seung-hoon won gold for the home nation in the first men's speed skating mass start event at the Winter Olympics.

Belgium's Bart Swings was second while the Netherlands' Koen Verweij came away with the bronze.

Dutchman Sven Kramer - the most decorated male speed skater in Olympic history - led with two laps to go but finished last.

Seung-hoon also picked up a silver medal in the men's team pursuit.

Compatriot Kim Bo-reum won silver in the women's mass start event.

How does it work?

The mass start is a combination of short track and long track speed skating and athletes can pick up points at various stages of the 16-lap race.

It is the only individual event in which long track speed skaters compete directly against each other.

There are three sprint laps, with the fastest three skaters on each awarded points.

However, only the first three athletes to complete the 6,400-metre race win medals regardless of sprint-lap performance - with the points accumulated being used to rank the rest of the field.