Canadian speed skater Dubreuil collects 2nd bronze at Milwaukee World Cup
Speed skater Laurent Dubreuil has continued his impressive performance at the ISU World Cup event in Milwaukee, securing his second bronze medal in as many days. The Canadian athlete from Levis, Que., clocked a time of 34.35 in the 500 metres on Sunday, showcasing his recovery from injury and posting near identical times in two consecutive races. This has helped him climb in the World Cup rankings, currently sitting fourth with 276 points.
The highlight of Sunday’s sprint was Japan’s Tatsuya Shinhama, who surprised the speed skating world by finishing with a time of 34.14. This performance knocked American standout Jordan Stolz off the top of the podium by a slim margin. Stolz, who had been undefeated in the 500 metres since December 2023, faced his first loss in nine World Cup victories and two World Championship titles.
Reflecting on his race, Dubreuil expressed satisfaction with his start but acknowledged that he was missing a little something to outpace Shinhama. Despite this, he was pleased with another bronze medal, stating, “I’m very, very happy to be able to keep winning medals this season.” Canada’s mixed relay team also contributed to the country’s success, earning a bronze medal and bringing Canada’s total tally to two gold, three silver, and five bronze after four events.
In the mixed relay event, Ivanie Blondin of Ottawa, Ont., and Anders Johnson of Burnaby, B.C., secured third place with a time of 2:58.01. Initially appearing to be in silver-medal position, the Canadians were edged out by the Norwegians by one thousandth of a second after a close review by officials.
The Dutch team claimed gold in the mixed relay with a time of 2:56.56. As the ISU World Cup Speedskating season progresses, the upcoming stops in Poland (Feb. 21-23) and the Netherlands (Feb. 28-March 2) will provide further opportunities for athletes to showcase their skills and compete for top honors. The competition remains fierce as skaters aim to secure podium placements and valuable points in the overall rankings.
