(Montreal) Charles Hamelin says that the uncertainty surrounding the presentation of the World Short Track Speed Skating Championships has not helped to maintain a high level of motivation.
Posted at 4:29 p.m.
Despite everything, the Canadian team hopes to benefit from the energy of the crowd during the competitions, finally presented from April 8 to 10 at the Maurice-Richard arena in Montreal.
“You saw the fun we had at the Olympics, we tried to keep that going,” Hamelin told a news conference earlier this week. When the event was postponed, the motivation was not always there. There have been lows, but highs are better when there have been lows.
“We are approaching the greatest height with the crowd who will be there for us. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen her,” added Hamelin, who will hang up his skates at the end of the weekend.
The last international short track competition presented in Canada took place in January 2020, approximately two months before the first wave of COVID-19 arrived in the country.
All tickets have been sold for the presentation of the finals, Saturday and Sunday, when approximately 3,200 spectators will be expected each day at the Maurice-Richard arena.
The event was originally scheduled to take place from March 18-20. However, the International Skating Federation (ISU) and Speed Skating Canada have jointly made the decision to postpone it due to developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine.
The skaters had to adjust their preparation for the event.
“When we came back from the Olympics, I gave the athletes a week off,” said Canadian team head coach Sébastien Cros. Then we started again, but slowly, waiting to find out what was going to happen.
“As soon as we knew the new dates, we adjusted the program a bit. We had a busier two weeks, but still less than in January before the Olympics. We tried to maintain a balance between the number of sessions, while pushing the envelope when we are there. »
Dubois is serene
Canadian skaters won four medals at the Beijing Games. Kim Boutin won bronze in the women’s 500 meters, while Steven Dubois was the revelation of the competition, winning silver in the 1,500 meters and bronze in the men’s 500 meters. Dubois also won gold in the men’s 5000 meter relay along with Hamelin, Pascal Dion, Jordan Pierre-Gilles and Maxime Laoun.
“The great thing about short track is that you can be physically or tactically dominant and the races may not go in your favor,” said Dubois, 24. I can’t tell myself that I did well at the Olympics so I’m going to win this weekend. It doesn’t work like that. But I really learned from my races at the Olympics.
“I will try to apply again what worked well in Beijing. But I won’t be overconfident. I’m approaching the weekend with no expectations. »
Cros stressed that the serenity displayed by Dubois was a good sign as the Worlds approach.
“I would even say that he is better than before leaving for the Olympics. He is more serene. There is less uncertainty, he explained. He knows what he can do. He confirmed his potential.
“Maybe he doesn’t realize it, but I feel a difference. He is more serene in training. »
Significant absentees
Dubois, Dion and Pierre-Gilles will be in action in the men’s individual events. Hamelin and Laoun will join them during the relay.
As for the ladies, Boutin, Courtney Sarault and Alyson Charles will participate in the individual events. Florence Brunelle and Danaé Blais will complete the team in the women’s 3000 meter relay.
Boutin said she hoped to clinch her first world title this weekend.
“The Games served as a huge motivation for me,” said Boutin. I realized how much I love this sport and I want in the little time I have left to get everything I can this season. I said to myself that I was jumping back into the boat and that gave me a big boost. I’m looking forward to racing this weekend. »
Boutin will have two major rivals less in the paws this weekend. Experienced Arianna Fontana of Italy put a cross on the competition, while Dutch Suzanne Schulting announced on Thursday that she had to withdraw after testing positive for COVID-19.
Schulting had swept the Worlds in 2021, winning all three individual distances in addition to winning the cumulative title and the relay with her teammates. Schulting and South Korean Choi Minjeong, who will be in action in Montreal, have won five of the last six world titles overall.
The skaters from China and Japan will be absent for reasons related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those from Russia and Belarus were excluded due to the conflict in Ukraine.
The door is open for men in the absence of Chinese skaters and South Korean Hwang Daeheon. Hungarian Shaoang Liu will try to defend his crown, but Dubois and Dion could mix things up.