(Seoul) Another double podium, this time William Dandjinou and Steven Dubois, allowed Canada to increase the country’s medal total to six at the Short Track Speed Skating World Cup in Seoul on Sunday. Silver medalist on Saturday, Montrealer Dandjinou collected gold in the second 1500m of the weekend.
The 22-year-old grabbed the lead with three laps to go and held on to win in 2:18.661, stretching his leg to edge South Korean Park Ji Won (2:18.698) — at the time where the reigning world distance champion gave everything to close the gap.
“I am very happy with my day! Incredible day to end the two weeks in Asia, said Dandjinou. I didn’t believe I had any legs left to finish like that, but I’m more than happy. Plus, sharing the podium with Steven [Dubois] in Korea, the capital of short track, it’s incredible.”
PHOTO AHN YOUNG-JOON, ASSOCIATED PRESS
From left to right: Park Ji-won, William Dandjinou and Steven Dubois
Dandjinou’s remarkable season continues: he has five individual medals in four World Cup stages, including two gold. Dubois de Lachenaie, victorious in the 1000 m on Saturday, took bronze this time in the 1500 m-2, with a time of 2:18.804. The 26-year-old Canadian finishes 2023 as the top-ranked men’s skater in the race to land the coveted Crystal Globe.
His 683 points give him a slight lead over Park (681), while Dandjinou finished third with 604 points. Canada completed the first half of the international season with 23 World Cup medals in four stages.
The Canadiens will be back on the ice for the Canada Cup 1 from January 26 to 28, in Sherbrooke.
They will then travel to Europe for the final World Cups of the campaign, in Dresden, Germany (February 9-11) and Gdansk, Poland (February 16-18).