Lin, Sun, Liu brothers power China to men's 5000m relay silver at ISU Short Track World Tour

The ISU (International Skating Union) Short Track World Tour drew to a close in the Polish city of Gdansk on Sunday with China claiming silver in the men's 5000 meter relay.

After advancing through the quarterfinals and semifinals as heat winners, China sent the same quartet into the final – Lin Xiaojun, Sun Long, Liu Shaoang and Liu Shaolin. The race quickly turned into a pendulum of speed, with four teams frequently trading the lead and quickly responding to each other's surges.  

With ten laps remaining, Lin maneuvered decisively on the inside to move into second place. He and Sun then used a clean exchange to overtake the Republic of Korea and briefly assume the lead. The Koreans battled back, however, and reclaimed first place with six laps to go.

As the finish approached, a collision between Italian and Dutch skaters sent both tumbling and, in the scramble, brought down Lin as well. Officials later judged the Netherlands at fault and issued a disqualification.

Italy recovered to claim bronze, while the Republic of Korea took gold, with silver awarded to China.

The result meant the Chinese delegation left Gdansk with two silvers from the relay and men's 500 meters, courtesy of Lin, who enjoyed a much-welcomed return to form after his two runner-up showings.

The Short Track World Tour will wrap up with this season's fourth and final stop next weekend in the Dutch city of Dordrecht.