Wilf O’Reilly
Former British short track speed skater on BBC TV

What was interesting was the Netherlands' Marcel Bosker drafted Cornelius Kersten very well indeed, making maximum use of the speed and it's all about maintaining that speed. After such a quick opener Kersten was having trouble maintaining that speed.

He just came a bit too short on that last lap.

Marcel Bosker remains in the lead, as Kazakh Dmitriy Morozov jumps into third spot - pushing GB's Cornelius Kersten down to fourth.

The hooter goes and the teams cannot be separated. Into three-on-three overtime we go.

Remember, whoever wins this game will top the group and avoid tournament favourites the USA in the quarter-finals.

Image source, Getty Images

Wilf O’Reilly
Former British short track speed skater on BBC TV

Cornelius Kersten has had a major struggle financially to get here but he's now at the Olympics - it's not his preferred event he prefers the 1000m and that would be a marvellous event if he can make top 15.

I think here at the 1500m we're looking at about 22nd or 23rd in the field of 29.

Image source, Getty Images

Ah, Cornelius Kersten tightens up on the final lap and can't maintain that speed.

He finishes in one minute 47.11 seconds, placing him in third.

Dutchman Marcel Bosker finishes strong and takes top spot.

It's the 1000m that is Kersten's preferred event and he looks well set up for that.

Wilf O’Reilly
Former British short track speed skater on BBC TV

If he can keep this up he'll be skating very close to his personal best! It will all be about how he can maintain that speed...

Cornelius Kersten wanted to produce his best race - and he's giving it a great go.

He remains over one second up on the lead time after 1100m...

Away we go!

Cornelius Kersten makes a great start, over one second up on the leading time after the first 300m.

Image source, Getty Images

We have a new leader, as Russian Ruslan Zakharov finishes in one minute 46.46 seconds.

Here comes GB's Cornelius Kersten!

What a chance for Czech Republic!

Japan look to be tiring as Tereza Vanisova breaks clear but can only fire over.

Japan hanging on at the moment.

Canadian Antoine Gelinas-Beaulieu edges out Haralds Silovs to top the early leaderboard.

The third pairing will see South Korean Seonghyeon Park and ROC skater Ruslan Zakharov take to the ice.

Then, it's Cornelius Kersten's time.

Sonia Oxley
BBC Sport in Beijing

Having been at the figure skating earlier today, I’ve still not got used to just how big the long track speed skating arena is.

It’s a 400m track - so like an athletics track - and it just feels huge when you’re only used to skating rinks like the size we have in the UK (there are no long track ovals there).

GB’s Cornelius Kersten trains in the Netherlands - best place for it, the country dominates this sport.

Image source, BBC Sport

First up in the men's speed skating 1500m, New Zealand's Peter Michael has gone solo, clocking a time of one minute 48.68.

Canadian Antoine Gelinas-Beaulieu and Latvia's Haralds Silovs are next up.

Sonia Oxley
BBC Sport in Beijing

Cornelius Kersten is glad he’s been able to share an Olympic debut with his speed-skating girlfriend Ellia Smeding.

They are competing on different days so have been able to watch each other race.

They’ve also been able to train together and eat together despite the covid-related restrictions that everyone in the Olympic bubble is under.

Are the Games more special because they’re here together?

“Yeah, absolutely,” Kersten told BBC Sport. “Because you always want to share everything you do with your favourite person.”

Awww!

Image source, Getty Images

Sonia Oxley
BBC Sport in Beijing

Cornelius Kersten will be in the fourth pairing here at the Ice Ribbon.

There are 15 pairs in total - well, actually 14 because the first one features New Zealander Peter Michael racing on his own.

It doesn't matter, he's racing the clock anyway, not the other skater.

It's almost time to head over to the National Speed Skating Oval, where GB's Cornelius Kersten will aim to put together the best 1500m of his life.

Kent Simpson
Commentator on BBC TV

That shot was like a nine iron, a wedge that went over the top of everybody. Fujimoto did not pick it up. It went right over her shoulder and perfectly in the goal

Fortune for the Czech Republic, but it was a matter of time and well deserved.

We are all square again!

Natalie Mlynkova's effort from distance takes a wicked deflection and fizzes past an unsighted Nana Fujimoto.

Image source, Getty Images

Katie Falkingham
BBC Sport in Zhangjiakou

Image source, Getty Images

More from Great Britain's Andrew Young, who missed out on qualification for the cross-country skiing men's free sprint quarter-finals, three weeks to the day since he developed Covid.

He finished 36th with only the top 30 progressing.

"It’s been a really difficult three weeks, so I was actually quite surprised at how well I was feeling," he told me.

"I’m obviously a good way away from my goals and my aspirations for this event. This is my best event historically, and I wanted to come here to fight for a medal and I’ve gone out in the qualification.

"But considering the last three weeks, I’m really pleased with how it felt and how it went.

"I had five or six days where I was really quite bad, I missed a week of training, then I had a week where I was on quite strict orders from the doctor to take it pretty easy.

"Now, I feel healthy and I feel good, the body is responding well and I feel good when I’m skiing, but obviously I’m missing that top speed.

"It’s the Olympic Games, you have to be in peak physical condition if you want to compete with the best guys."

Kent Simpson
Commentator on BBC TV

The Czech Republic are not done. They have really tilted the ice since giving up that goal.

you get the sense that one goal is not going to be enough