Russian speed skater Pavel Kulizhnikov finished in first place in the men’s 1,000m race on Sunday, bringing the country its fifth gold medal at the European Championships in Heerenveen, the Netherlands.
The 25-year-old clocked in at 1 minute and 7.09 seconds, claiming the fastest time and leaving behind hosts and home favorites Thomas Krol and Kai Verbij, who settled for silver and bronze respectively.
Another representative of Russia, Victor Mushtakov, finished just one place from the podium, losing a mere 0.44 seconds to bronze medal holder Verbij.
This was the third victory for Kulizhnikov at the continental tournament; earlier he claimed gold in the men’s 500m event and helped Russia to win the men’s team sprint.
Earlier on Saturday, Olga Fatkulina triumphed in the women's 500m race with a time of 37.40 seconds.
Russia sits second in the overall standings with five gold medals, two behind current leaders Holland.