Shaolin Sandor Liu was victorious in the men's 1,500 metres, winning in 2min 13.579sec at the Sportboulevard.

His younger brother finished in second with a time of 2:13.665, while Russia's Semen Elistratov was third in 2:13.740.

The next event saw the brothers reverse their podium finishes, with Shaoang Liu triumphing in the 500m with 41.120sec.

Shaolin Sándor Liu took the silver medal in 41.202, while Pavel Sitnikov of Russia finished third in 41.338.

The brothers revealed afterwards that their first and second place finishes had been part of their game plan.

"If we skate together, we always try and protect each other and get the best results we can," said Shaolin Sándor Liu.

"We were trying to make this race [1,500m] for me a first place and for him a second place.

"I was fighting for my life, it was really tough. 

"I was so lucky my brother was behind me and I didn’t have to worry about who was passing me. 

"I didn’t have to protect my second position, so it was easier to attack the first position."

In the women's competition, the home crowd had something to cheer about when Olympic champion Suzanne Schulting of The Netherlands won the 1,500m race in 2:29.181.

In second was Britain's Elise Christie, returning to action following a disastrous Pyeongchang 2018 which saw her disqualified or crash out of every event she competed in. 

She finished in 2:29.416, closely followed by Russia's Sofia Prosvirnova in 2:29.706.

In the women's 500m, Poland's Natalia Maliszewska was the victor, recording a time of 42.842.

Italy's Martina Valcepina came second with 43.241 and Lara van Ruijven of The Netherlands took third with 43.507.

Tomorrow's action is due to see the final of the men and women's 1,000m, as well as the finals of the men's 5,000m relay and the women's 3,000m relay.