Australian short track speed skater Tatiana Borodulina has produced another top five World Cup performance, finishing fifth in the 1500m in Seoul, South Korea.

It is the first time the Brisbane 24-year-old has made the final of the long distance race since first skating for Australia three seasons ago, and it moves her closer to qualifying for the event at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games.

Borodulina has won two gold medals and collected another two podium places over the past three seasons, but all have been in the 500m sprint event.

Olympic Winter Institute Head Short Track Coach Ann Zhang believes her top skater has shown she can also make the grade in 1500m and 1000m at next year's Games.

"Tania produced a great 1500m final," Zhang said, "the best race she has ever had."

"She had the speed to do a lot of passing and skated a really smart race."

"Everything was going very well, but just as she was about to wind up for the final push to the line, the American fell right in front of her."

"Tania hasn't got as much acceleration as some of her opponents, but has a very good top glide speed, and once the American went down she had to back off and that cost her any chance of making the podium."

The gold medal went to Korean Eun-Byul Lee in a time of two minutes 34.178 seconds, while Chinese skaters Sun LinLin and Zhou Yang picked up the minor medals.

Borodulina recorded a time of 2:35.495.

The Australian also finished in 15th place in the 1000m, but fell in the preliminary round of the 500m, placing 33rd.

Lachlan Hay was the best of the Australian men, making it through to the quarter-final round of the 1500m to finish in 20th place, two spots ahead of team-mate Elliott Shriane, while the men's 5000m relay team finished in 12th place overall.

The third World Cup of the season will be held in Montreal, Canada, from November 5.

OWI