(LEAD)(profile) South Korea's Mo wins surprise gold in Olympic debut

(ATTN: ADDS details from 4th para)
VANCOUVER, Feb. 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Mo Tae-bum made an impressive
showing at the Vancouver Winter games, capturing a surprise gold medal in the 500
meter speed skating event and clocking a personal best in his Olympic debut.

The sprinter celebrated his 21st birthday on Monday with South Korea's first ever
gold medal in the speed skating event. The country has claimed only one silver
and one bronze in the event before Vancouver.
Mo won the 500m event at the 2007 Junior World Championships and captured two
gold medals in the 1,000m and 1,500m at last year's Winter Universiade held in
China.
In the World Cup series competitions held ahead of the Vancouver Winter Olympics,
he made podium finishes in the 1,000m and 1,500m events, ranking second in the
world standings.
But he stood just 14th in the 500m rankings, while his compatriots Lee Kang-seok
and Lee Kyou-hyuk occupied the two top spots.
brk@yna.co.kr
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