Semen Elistratov became the first athlete from Russia to win a medal at this year’s Winter Olympics after a thrilling men’s 1500m short track speed skating final and promptly dedicated it to the 200 compatriots who, he said, were “unfairly” excluded from the Games.

“I have difficulties to hold back my tears,” said Elistratov, who snatched a surprise bronze when a crash took out two skaters in front of him near the end of the race.

“I am incredibly happy that I did it, in spite of all the circumstances around Russian sport. I dedicate this medal to all guys that have been excluded from these Games in such a hard and unfair way, This medal is for you.”

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The 28-year-old, competing as an Olympic Athlete from Russia after the Russian Olympic Committee was banned in December because of state-sponsored doping in Sochi, added that he was also delighted to prove his critics wrong. “People said: ‘Your results are going down, you are not so strong anymore.’ But I said: ‘Wait, the Olympic Games are a completely different competition. Only the strongest ones will win.’”

Elistratov was among several Russian sportspeople who tested positive for meldonium in 2016 but was cleared after Wada issued an amnesty for those who had a low dosage. He is one of the 168 Russians at these Games as an OAR who were considered clean by an independent panel last month.

“I still have two distances to contest and I will fight until the end,” he said. We’ll see what happens.”

Ahead of him was the South Korean favourite Hyo-jun Lim, who provided the home nation with their first gold of the Games. “I was very overwhelmed beforehand because it’s my home country,” he said. “My coach said: ‘Don’t stress yourself too hard. Make yourself comfortable’ and just followed his direction and I think that led to better results.”

There was a Dutch one-two-three in the 3,000m when Carlijn Achtereekte won gold ahead of her team-mates Ireen Wüst and Antoinette de Jong. “I thought I had to skate the best race of my life and I did it and I won, that’s incredible,” said Achtereekte.

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Many are wondering whether Germany’s Laura Dahlmeier could be winter sports’ answer to Michael Phelps, given that the 24-year-old is targeting six medals, and she made a superb start by taking gold in the women’s 7.5km biathlon sprint – crushing her rivals by 24.2sec.

Norway’s Marte Olsbu was behind her in second and Veronika Vitkova of the Czech Republic took bronze. “It was perfect for me, I am an Olympic winner,” said Dahlmeier. “This was a big dream since I was a little child.”

When asked whether she might equal her performance of five golds and a bronze in last year’s World Championships she declined to put pressure on herself. “It’s always a new situation, new conditions, nothing is the same,” she said. “We will see what the next days will bring.”

The first medal of the Games was won by Sweden’s Charlotte Kalla in the ladies’ skiathlon. “I was quite nervous and the Olympics is something I have focused on for a long time,” she said.