Cho wins 500, joins Reutter as world short track leader

For the first time in 35 years, the United States has the overall leaders going into the final day of the World Short Track Speedskating Championship.

Simon Cho of Laurel, Md., moved into the men's lead by winning the 500 meters Saturday in Sheffield, England.  At 19, in his first world championships, Cho became the youngest U.S. skater to win a world gold medal.

"I'm surprised, excited, enthusiatic, exhausted and proud to represent the United States,'' Cho said via telephone as he rode back from the rink to the team hotel.

Katherine Reutter of Champaign, Ill., maintained her lead in the overall standings after failing to make the 500-meter final by a couple inches Saturday.

Reutter, who won the 1,500 on Friday, was in second for four of the five laps in the semifinal before China's Li Jianrou beat her to the finish by seven thousandths of a second.  Only the top two advanced.