Canada’s Steven Dubois clinched a gold medal in the 500 meters at the world short track speedskating championships. Dubois, who had previously secured victory in the same distance at the Milano-Cortina Olympic Games, successfully defended his world title in this event. Despite battling a cold, the 28-year-old from Terrebonne, Que., showcased dominance at Maurice-Richard Arena on Saturday, leading from start to finish in the quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final races.
Dutch skater Jens van ‘t Wout secured the silver medal, with Turkey’s Furkan Akar claiming the bronze. Meanwhile, Montreal’s William Dandjinou faced a setback when he crashed while leading his semifinal heat but managed to win the B final. Another Canadian contender, Maxime Laoun, was eliminated in the quarterfinals.
In the 1,500 meters final, Dandjinou and Félix Roussel were in contention but faced challenges. Dandjinou crashed near the end, allowing South Korea’s Rim Jong-un to secure the gold. Italy’s Thomas Nadalini and Belgium’s Stijn Desmet took the silver and bronze, respectively.
Dubois, Roussel, and Dandjinou finished in fourth, sixth, and seventh positions in the final standings. Dandjinou, the two-time ISU World Tour Crystal Globe champion, aimed to bounce back at the world championships after missing the Olympic podium in individual distances. The 24-year-old will compete in the 1,000 meters event on Sunday.
In the women’s events, Courtney Sarault, a standout performer in Milan, failed to make the A final in the 1,000 meters. The Canadian quartet, comprising Florence Brunelle, Kim Boutin, and Danaé Blais, finished fourth in the women’s 3,000 relay final, with the Netherlands claiming victory ahead of Italy and China.