Japanese teen Sasaki wins World Cup mass start

Japanese 17-year-old Shomu Sasaki finished strongly to win the men’s mass start Saturday in the final speed skating World Cup round of the season.

The youngster broke away late and held off South Korea’s Chung Jae-won in a sprint to the line for his maiden World Cup gold at Quebec City’s Centre de Glaces. Switzerland’s Livio Wenger was third.

Sasaki, who attends high school in Nagano Prefecture, debuted on the senior World Cup circuit this season.

“I was hoping to gain good experience, whatever the result, but I’m happy to get first place,” he said.

“I made my move from the outside with two laps left, and things fell into place from there.”

Japan’s Yuma Murakami took bronze earlier in the men’s 500 meters, which was won by American Jordan Stolz.