The Canadian short track speed skating team had an outstanding performance on the first day of the second World Tour stop in Montreal, clinching four gold medals. Local favorite William Dandjinou secured two individual wins, claiming victory in the men’s 500 meters with a time of 41.126 seconds. Dandjinou capitalized on a false start by his Dutch competitor Jens Van’T Wout, taking the lead at the restart and maintaining it to the finish line. Lui Shaoang of China earned the silver medal, while Sun Long, also from China, settled for bronze.
Later in the day, Dandjinou continued his winning streak by triumphing in the men’s 1,500 meters with a time of 2:13.217. Despite Félix Roussel finishing second, he was penalized for an illegal maneuver, promoting Steven Dubois to the bronze medal position behind Japan’s Miyata Shogo.
Courtney Sarault shone once again, securing her second consecutive gold medal in Montreal by winning the women’s 1,000 meters. Leading the race after the third lap, Sarault finished ahead of Choi Min-jeong from South Korea and Xandra Velzeboer from the Netherlands.
Sarault also contributed to Canada’s success in the women’s 3,000 meters relay alongside Kim Boutin, Danaé Blais, and Florence Brunelle. The Canadian team, known as the Ice Maples, crossed the finish line in 4:07.341, claiming the gold medal. South Korea and Japan secured the silver and bronze medals, respectively.
The day’s events showcased remarkable performances by Canadian athletes, setting the stage for an exciting continuation of the competition. Viewers can catch live coverage of the medal rounds on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem starting at 1:30 p.m. ET. The upcoming stops in Poland and the Netherlands will keep the excitement going, leading up to the world championships in Montreal in March, following closely after the Olympics.