The top two finishers in each of the three semifinals qualified for the A final, while the third and fourth place skaters advanced to the B Final.
Tatiana Borodulina finished fifth in her semifinal, but was advanced due to interference from Stéphanie Bouvier.[2]
The largest short-track race of the Games, with seven women entered, saw two of the skaters disqualified. The most notable of these was Byun Chun-sa, who originally finished third. She was adjudged to have interfered with Wang Meng. Wang, who was originally fourth, moved into the bronze medal position after Byun's disqualification.[2][3]