Short track speedskater Li Jianrou of China said she felt "very lucky" after winning the gold medal in women's 500 meters on Thursday. That's because as she trailed during the final in opening lap's second turn, three skaters ahead of her all fell and crashed into the boards.
Britain's Elise Christie appeared to skate into Arianna Fontana of Italy during the turn and both collided into the pads. South Korea's Park Seung-hi fell and slid into the padding right after Christie and Fontana, allowing Jianrou to skate right on by and eventually take the gold. Fontana took the silver and Seung-hi won bronze, while Christie was penalized.
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Take a look at some photos that led to China's fourth consecutive Olympic title in women's 500 meters.
Short Track Speed Skating - Winter Olympics Day 6
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(L-R) Italy's Arianna Fontana, Great Britain's Elise Christie and South Korea's Park Seung-Hi fall as they compete in the Women's Short Track 500 m Final at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics on February 13, 2014. AFP PHOTO / YURI KADOBNOV (Photo credit should read YURI KADOBNOV/AFP/Getty Images)
Short Track Speed Skating - Winter Olympics Day 6
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(L-R) South Korea's Park Seung-Hi, Great Britain's Elise Christie and Italy's Arianna Fontana fall as China's Li Jianrou (R) skates past them to win the gold medal in the Women's Short Track 500 m Final at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics on February 13, 2014. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images)
Short Track Speed Skating - Winter Olympics Day 6
AP
Elise Christie of Britain, right, and Arianna Fontana of Italy, left, crash out as Li Jianrou of China rounds the turn as they compete in a women's 500m short track speedskating final at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the 2014 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
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Short Track Speed Skating - Winter Olympics Day 6
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Great Britain's Elise Christie (L) and Italy's Arianna Fontana fall as they compete in the Women's Short Track 500 m Final at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics on February 13, 2014. AFP PHOTO / ADRIAN DENNIS (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images)
Short Track Speed Skating - Winter Olympics Day 6
AP
Elise Christie of Britain, front, and Arianna Fontana of Italy crash out as they compete in a women's 500m short track speedskating final at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the 2014 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Short Track Speed Skating - Winter Olympics Day 6
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SOCHI, RUSSIA - FEBRUARY 13: Elise Christie of Great Britain (L) falls and collides with Arianna Fontana of Italy (R) during the Short Track Speed Skating Ladies' 500 m Final on day 6 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at at Iceberg Skating Palace on February 13, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
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Short Track Speed Skating - Winter Olympics Day 6
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Great Britain's Elise Christie (C) and Italy's Arianna Fontana (R) fall as they compete in the Women's Short Track 500 m Final at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics on February 13, 2014. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images)
Short Track Speed Skating - Winter Olympics Day 6
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Italy's Arianna Fontana falls as she competes in the Women's Short Track 500 m Final at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics on February 13, 2014. AFP PHOTO / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images)
Short Track Speed Skating - Winter Olympics Day 6
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SOCHI, RUSSIA - FEBRUARY 13: Elise Christie of Great Britain (L) falls and collides with Arianna Fontana of Italy (R) during the Short Track Speed Skating Ladies' 500 m Final on day 6 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at at Iceberg Skating Palace on February 13, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
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Short Track Speed Skating - Winter Olympics Day 6
AP
Elise Christie of Britain, left, and Arianna Fontana of Italy crash out in a women's 500m short track speedskating final at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the 2014 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Short Track Speed Skating - Winter Olympics Day 6
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SOCHI, RUSSIA - FEBRUARY 13: (L-R) Seung-Hi Park of South Korea, Arianna Fontana of Italy and Elise Christie of Great Britain are consoled after the Short Track Speed Skating Ladies' 500 m Final on day 6 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at at Iceberg Skating Palace on February 13, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)