World Short Track Speed Skating ChampionshipsXandra Velzeboer has extended her world title in the 500 meters at the World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Seoul. She had been supreme at that distance all day and in the final she finished well ahead of her two compatriots. Suzanne Schulting took silver, Selma Poutsma bronze. There was also success among the men: Jens van ‘t Wout won his first individual World Cup medal with bronze.
Never before have three Dutch short track speed skaters occupied the World Cup podium. Velzeboer surprised last year at the World Cup in Montreal by winning the world title. This season she proved to be the fastest over the shortest distance with three World Cup victories and the overall victory in the World Cup.
Velzeboer was also by far the fastest in the first semi-final. Schulting won the second semi-final ahead of compatriot Selma Poutsma, putting the three of them in the final against Canada’s Rikki Doak and Corinne Stoddard from the United States.
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Xandra has been showing all year that she is the best in the 500 meters so she is the deserved world champion
Schulting conquered earlier the world title in the 1500 meters and spoke of a bonus in the 500 meters: “It’s fantastic that we are on the podium with the Dutch ladies,” said Schulting at the NOS. “Of course I always go for gold, but Xandra has shown all year that she the best is in the 500 meters so she is the deserved world champion I always keep in mind to catch her at the end, but I didn’t have an ideal starting position and Xandra already pulled such a big gap at the start, she did that very well, she is the rightful world champion.”
Jens van ‘t Wout
Jens van ‘t Wout also won a medal in the 500 meters in Seoul. He finished fourth in the final after a great effort, but benefited from a penalty for China’s Xiaojun Lin. As a result, the 21-year-old Dutchman took bronze, behind the golden Italian Pietro Sighel and the Canadian Steven Dubois. It is the first individual World Cup medal for Van ‘t Wout.
The Dutchman qualified for the final by finishing third. His time of 41.530 was just enough to take the fastest number 3 to the final. Van ‘t Wout finished fourth in the 1500 meters earlier in the day, where Sjinkie Knegt finished fifth. Itzhak de Laat failed in the quarter finals of the 500 meters. Teun Boer did not pass the resits on Saturday morning.
Calendar (each event can be clicked for results)
(Intermediate) standings World Cup season 2022-2023
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