Defending champion China was disqualified in the women's short track 3,000 meters relay final to heighten the drama in the event for the second successive Olympic Winter Games while the Netherlands swept the podium for the fourth time in speed skating.

Four years ago, at the Vancouver 2010 Games, South Korea crossed the line first but was penalized for illegal contact and had to watch arch rival China win the gold medal. This time, it was the Chinese team that was disqualified for impeding while South Korea took the gold.

Minutes after Shim Suk Hee made an outside pass on Li Jianrou on the final lap to cross the finish line first in four minutes, 9.498 seconds, referees handed down the penalty in front of a shocked crowd.

It was ruled that China's Zhou Yang failed to effectively clear the skating lane following a pass and impeded a South Korean skater's progress.

South Korea won this event for the fifth time in the last six Olympic Winter Games. Canada was promoted to silver for the second successive Games and Italy took bronze.

Like its opponent four years ago, China was devastated following the race.

"According to the judges, when Zhou exchanged, she was on the track and impeded skaters behind her," Chinese coach Li Yan said. "But according to what I saw, there were two to three meters between her and the South Korean skater, and a skater is allowed to go on to the track when they exchange. But the judges' decision is the final one.

"We are disappointed, but we respect it."

Jorrit Bergsma won the men's speed skating 10,000 meters as the Netherlands swept the podium in the sport for the fourth time at Sochi. It is the Netherland's sixth speed skating gold here.

No NOC had previously swept the podium more than twice at a single Winter Games, but the Dutch skaters have now dominated the podiums in the men's 10,000m, 5,000m, men's 500m and women's 1,500m.

Crossing the finish line in 12 minutes and 44.45 seconds, Bergsma bettered the previous Olympic record of 12:58.55 set by South Korea's Lee Seung-hoon in Vancouver four years ago and became the third reigning world champion in the men's 10,000m to win Olympic gold in this event after compatriots Bob De Jong in 2006 and Gianni Romme in 1998.

"It is a fantastic feeling, I knew with my current shape I could do it, but these are the Olympic Games, you have to cope with the pressure and control your nerves," said Bergsma. "I knew with a good race I would win here. I watched Sven, he held on for a very long time, but finally he broke."

Finishing 4.57 seconds behind Bergsma to take the silver, Sven Kramer equaled the Dutch record of six Olympic medals held by Rintje Ritsma and Ireen Wust, but the gold was what he had raced for.

The bronze medal went to De Jong, who was timed at 13:07.19 to become the first male speed skater to win at least one medal at four different Olympic Winter Games.

Norway was the day's biggest winner, taking two gold and a silver from the seven medal events.

Joergen Graabak and Magnus Hovdal Moan finished 1-2 in the nordic combined. Graabak clocked 23:27.5 for the gold, beating the teammate 0.6 seconds.

Germany's Fabian Riessle took bronze in 23:29.1.

Emil Hegle Svendsen shot perfectly to win the men's biathlon 15km mass start, which had been repeatedly postponed due to bad weather.

The 28-year-old timed 42 minutes 29.1 seconds for the gold while Martin Fourcade of France, the winner of the pursuit and individual events in Sochi, missed two targets and clocked the same time as Svendsen did. Ondrej Moravec of the Czech Republic took bronze in 42:42.9.

Norway rose to second in the medal table, with seven gold, four silver and seven bronze medals, behind leaders Germany on 8-3-4.

Slovenian Tina Maze won her second gold of the Sochi Olympics, adding the giant slalom title to her downhill victory. Violin virtuoso Vanessa Mae, representing Thailand, was the 67th and last to finish the race.

Frenchman Pierre Vaultier won a thrilling men's snowboard cross amid fog, rain and carnage, and American David Wise claimed the men's half-pipe freestyle skiing title.