Will Dandjinou claimed another gold medal at the short track World Tour on Saturday, securing another men’s overall season title. Dandjinou emerged victorious in the men’s 1,500-meter final at the final World Tour event in Dordrecht, Netherlands. This win solidified his lead in the men’s overall season standings, earning him consecutive Crystal Globe triumphs.
The Montreal native finished the race in two minutes, 16.600 seconds, grabbing his seventh individual gold medal of the season. His Canadian teammate, Felix Roussel from Sherbrooke, Que., followed closely behind to claim the silver medal with a time of 2:16.670.
Dandjinou expressed his joy at sharing the podium with Roussel, emphasizing their competitive spirit throughout the season. He acknowledged Roussel’s deserving performance and the possibility of him winning the gold. China’s Sun Long secured the bronze medal with a time of 2:16.772.
With a total of 832 points on the season, Dandjinou clinched the World Tour title in the men’s 500m event by also earning a silver medal. His closest rival, Italy’s Pietro Sighel, trailed with 594 points.
Reflecting on his achievements, Dandjinou highlighted the significance of sharing the podium with Roussel and praised the competitive environment in Dordrecht. He also commended his performance in the 500m race, noting the strategic aspects and the lessons learned by himself and the team during the day of competition.
In an earlier interview with host Ariel Helwani, Dandjinou discussed his aspirations for the upcoming Milano-Cortina Winter Games. The men’s 500 final witnessed intense action, with a larger field leading to increased contact among participants. Despite initial confusion over the race winner, Canadian Steven Dubois faced a penalty for a lane change violation, altering the race outcome.
American Andrew Heo claimed the gold medal, while Dandjinou and Poland’s Felix Pigeon secured the silver and bronze medals, respectively. On the women’s side, Canada’s Courtney Sarault extended her lead for the Crystal Globe with a gold medal victory in the 1,000m event on Saturday.
Sarault, hailing from Moncton, N.B., secured her third gold in the discipline this season, finishing ahead of American Corrine Stoddard, who settled for silver. Belgium’s Hanne Desmet completed the podium with a bronze medal finish.
As the live coverage of the Dordrecht event continues, Sarault maintains her position atop the overall season standings with four gold medals. She leads Stoddard by 100 points, with only two individual events remaining. Sarault expressed her satisfaction with her performance, emphasizing the importance of focus and enjoyment in achieving success.
The ongoing Dordrecht event will feature more exciting races, including the men’s 1,000m and 5,000m relay, women’s 1,500m and 500m, and the 2,000m mixed relay. Viewers can catch the action on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.