Lee Sang-hwa

Speed skater Lee Sang-hwa has shattered her own Korean record in the women's 500-m race to brighten her hopes of defending her Olympic title next year in Sochi, Russia.

Lee clocked 36.99 seconds to win her first race of the day at an ISU-sanctioned World Cup in Calgary, Canada, on Sunday. Heather Richardson of the U.S. finished second after posting 37.12.

Lee is now 7-for-7 in the short-distance race at World Cup events this season as she has not lost any of the 500-m races she has entered. She also ranks as the country's first female skater to go under 37 seconds after she broke her own record of 37.24 set in Salt Lake City, Utah, in Dec. 2009.

Lee's next goal is to beat the world record of 36.94 set by China's Yu Jing in Calgary last year, a feat she believes she may be able to achieve in the second race on Monday morning.

After Calgary, Lee will compete in the World Sprint Speed Skating Championships in Salt Lake City on Saturday and Sunday.