updated 11:15 p.m. ET Nov. 27, 2004

MADISON, Wis. - Yang (A) Yang continued her successful return to speedskating Saturday night by winning the 500-meter race in a World Cup short-track tournament.

The Chinese skater, the reigning Olympic champion at that distance, won with a time of 45.371 seconds. Meng Wang of China was second in 45.429 and Marta Capurso of Italy was third in 45.561.

After taking last season off, Yang is competing in only her second World Cup meet this year. She also won the 1,500-meter race Friday night for her first victory since her return to skating.

“It was a surprise,” Yang said of two straight victories. “Yesterday, I was lucky and today I won because of my experience. I think I still have a long way to go.

“I want to be what I was before. I have to be higher.”

Mathieu Turcotte of Canada captured the men’s 500-meter race in 41.673.

Turcotte narrowly held off hard-charging Apolo Anton Ohno to win. The Seattle skater moved up two places in the final two laps to finish second in 41.724. Takafumi Nishitani (41.955) of Japan, the 1998 gold medalist at 500 meters, was third.