Netherlands clinch three golds in Obihiro

Herzog defeated Nao Kodaira and Miho Takagi, both representing the host nation, in a track record time of 1 minute and 14.56 seconds to win the women's 1000m while Pavel Kulizhnikov fended off the threat from Dutch skater and Olympic champion Kjeld Nuis to clinch gold in the men's 1000m.

The Russian, who had already won the 500m, crushed his 2014 track record (1.09,23) by more than a second when he stopped the clock at 1 minute and 7.85 seconds.

The Netherlands had more joy in the 5000m as Patrick Roest claimed his first career individual World Cup gold.

In the women's 3000m Esmee Visser continued the Dutch hot streak and grabbed the gold medal ahead of Russia's Natalia Voronina and Czech skater Martina Sablikova.

Meanwhile in the team sprints, the Dutch skaters added a third gold, a boost after failing to top the podium in the first two days.

Michel Mulder, Kai Verbij and Kjeld Nuis captured the team sprint gold ahead of last season's World Cup winners Norway, finishing 1:01 faster than their rivals.

In the women's event, hosts Japan had to settle for silver after they were beaten by last year's team sprint World Cup winners Russia.

Angelina Golikova, Olga Fatkulina, Yekaterina Shikhova combined well to take gold with the Netherlands completing the podium

Sportsbeat 2018