South Korean short track speed skater Sin Da-woon has captured the world title in the men's 1,500 meters.

Sin was crowned the 1,500m champion at the International Skating Union (ISU) World Short Track Championships in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on Saturday (local time). Sin, the 2013 world overall champion, finished his race in 2:16.919, beating Samuel Girard of Canada by 0.076 second.

Another South Korean, Seo Yi-ra, finished third in 2:17.051.

Sin was the only South Korean champion on Day 1 of the world championships, as Seo got bronze in the 500m and the women were shut out of titles.

Choi Min-jeong, the two-time reigning world overall champion, finished only fifth in the 1,500m final after falling early in the race. Shim Suk-hee, the 2014 world champion, got the bronze. A third South Korean in the final, Kim Ji-yoo, was disqualified.

In the 500m, Kim earned the bronze, while Choi and Shim failed to even make the final.

The skaters will be back for the 1,000m, 3,000m and relays Sunday.

A South Korean who wins the overall title in the Netherlands will earn an automatic berth to the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics on home ice. The national Olympic trials are scheduled for April.

By Yonhap News