Holding his first medal at the Winter Universiade, rookie Gao Ming admitted the gap between South Korea and China in the men's short track speed skating, but strived to narrow it with harder training in the national team.

Finished fourth in the men's 1,500m on Thursday, the 22-year-old kept his momentum to win a silver in the men's 500m event at 44.436seconds as South Korean Jang Won Honn claimed the gold with 1.463 seconds surplus.

Gao, enrolled in the national team last December, took the lead after Japanese Ito Junji and Boisvert Lacroix Alex of Canada stumbled, but was overtaken by Jang with one lap left.

"Jang is also a rookie in the national team in South Korea, but his skills are more mature," said Gao.

"There is a gap between South Korea and China in men's short track skating, but the gap is narrowing these years. I believe China will surpass South Korea one day if all of us work harder."

South Korea showed its strength in the Turin Winter Olympics as the Asian country skated to six gold, three silver and one bronze medals, perching atop the medal standings.

"When Jang surpassed me, I knew it was too hard to chase him, but the silver medal is also precious for me," he said.

"I wasted too much strength in the heats and the semifinal, and felt exhausted even before the final. It is a pity."

Born in an ordinary family in Harbin, Gao learned speed skating at first then turned his interest in the short track skating when he was ten years old.

As a student in Harbin Institute of Technology majoring in international business, Gao worried his study because of training in the national team in Beijing.

"I will go back to school to catch up with my classmates when the spring break comes. I hope I can manage to keep the balance of sports and academy," he added.

Source:Xinhua