Canadian short track skaters win 3 golds, 2 silvers at World Tour event in Seoul
The Canadian short track speed skating team showcased their dominance at a recent World Tour stop in Seoul, securing a total of five medals, with three of them being gold. Steven Dubois, hailing from Lachenaie, Que., claimed the gold in the men’s 500m final with a remarkable time of 41.681 seconds, closely followed by his teammate Jordan Pierre-Gilles from Sherbrooke, Que., who clinched the silver in 41.759 seconds.
In addition to Dubois and Pierre-Gilles’ outstanding performances, Montreal’s William Dandjinou shone bright as he secured a gold medal in the men’s 1,500-metre final with a blazing time of 2:14.313. The Canadian skaters displayed their prowess on the ice, with Dubois and Felix Roussel initially finishing the race in top positions before being penalized following a video review.
Pierre-Gilles expressed his delight at returning to the podium, especially alongside his teammate Dubois, stating, “It feels good getting back onto the podium, particularly with Steven. Always an incredible moment sharing the podium with a teammate and friend. Really happy how I managed to accomplish that today.”
On the women’s side, Danae Blais from Châteauguay, Que., added to the Canadian medal haul by securing a silver in the 1,000m event with a time of 1:31.010. Blais, who recently clinched gold at the World Tour stop in Beijing, emphasized her shift in mindset towards the sport, focusing on her own performance rather than external factors. She stated, “I really feel like I am a different skater from the last years. It’s really cool to skate and just enjoy and be excited. Instead of being scared and stressed… I love my sport now that I am skating with that mentality.”
Blais, along with her teammates Kim Boutin, Florence Brunelle, and Courtney Sarault, further showcased their teamwork and talent by securing gold in the women’s 3,000m relay with a time of 4:11.634. The Canadian and Dutch teams engaged in a thrilling battle for the lead, with the Canadian squad ultimately pulling ahead on the penultimate racer exchange.
Sarault expressed her pride in the team’s performance, stating, “Having those four other teams that are pretty strong and being able to finish that strong and even with a little gap is something that we’re really proud of. We’ve been working really hard to achieve that.”
The action-packed event in Seoul continues on Sunday, with live streaming available on CBC Gem and CBCSports.ca. Fans can catch all the thrilling moments of the World Tour stop as the Canadian short track speed skating team continues to make waves on the international stage.
