Olympic silver medallist Wu Dajing qualified quickest in the men's 500 metres event on the opening day of competition in Shanghai ©Getty Images

China's Olympic silver medallist Wu Dajing qualified quickest in the men's 500 metres event on the opening day of competition at the International Skating Union (ISU) Short Track World Cup in Shanghai.

The 2015 world champion clocked a time of 40.478sec to secure his place in the quarter-finals at the Oriental Sports Center.

Wu and compatriot Ren Ziwei were the only two skaters in the men's field to go under the 41-second mark.

They were joined in the next round of the 500m event by team-mate Shi Jingnan, one of the six fastest third-place finishers.

"I'm not satisfied with a silver medal in Sochi [2014], so I want to realise my dream in Pyeongchang," Wu was quoted as saying by China's official news agency Xinhua.

"Of course, I am aiming at one gold in men's 500m and another gold in the relay.

"I do feel better and better in every World Cup competition. 

"Every move, every step is for the Games."

China's three-time Olympic champion Zhou Yang was among the skaters to progress through to the next round of the women's 1,500m event at the ISU Short Track World Cup in Shanghai. ©Getty Images
China's three-time Olympic champion Zhou Yang was among the skaters to progress through to the next round of the women's 1,500m event at the ISU Short Track World Cup in Shanghai. ©Getty Images

Another reigning Chinese Olympic champion, Zhou Yang, was among the skaters to progress through to the next round of the women's 1,500m event.

Zhou, a three-time Olympic gold medallist, crossed the line in 2min 26.690sec, the quickest time recorded during the preliminary round stage.

South Korea;s Shim Suk-hee and Choi Min-jeong sealed their place in the semi-finals, while veteran Arianna Fontana of Italy also progressed.

Britain's Elise Christie, who missed the previous World Cup in Dordrecht in The Netherlands due to injury, was among the qualifiers in the women's 500m.

The competition in Shanghai is due to continue tomorrow.