(Calgary) Regular as a metronome for three years, Laurent Dubreuil takes nothing for granted.
“Morocco can beat Portugal in soccer. It could happen. It’s the same on skates. »
Especially in the 500 meters, where three hundredths can separate three skaters, as happened for positions 2-4 at the World Cup in Calgary on Saturday afternoon.
Despite a start a bit below his standards, Dubreuil was on his own planet at the Olympic Oval. Starting in the last pair, he completed an almost perfect second portion to soar to the gold medal, his second in three events at this “dream” start to the season.
I have often said that I was not good enough to be disappointed with a bronze medal. But right now, I’d probably be disappointed. Not destroyed, we get along there. Even if I finish last, I really don’t care. It’s not that important. But I’m at a place where to be fully satisfied, it takes the gold medal.
Laurent Dubreuil
The Quebec sprinter stopped the clock at 34.01 seconds to dethrone Tatsuya Shinhama, whose time of 34.18 seconds had held since the very beginning of the competition.
“Shinhama was definitely ahead of me after 300 meters”, analyzed Dubruil about the Japanese who was making a return to the World Cup after missing his shot at the national selections. “But he hesitated on entering the last corner. It’s not his strength, especially when he finishes inside. Me, I finish really strong, regardless of the lane. »
In the outer lane, the winner drew a perfect arc along the blocks. “I practically kept accelerating and kept my speed until the end. That’s really where I made the difference with the other three guys. »
Silver medalist Shinhama, South Korean Jun-Ho Kim (34.19) and Yuma Murakami (34.20) indeed finished in a pocket handkerchief.
Dubreuil would have preferred Murakimi to snatch the bronze to share the podium with him, like at the Four Continents Championships in Quebec and at the World Cup in Stavanger, where the Japanese won ahead of him at the start of the season.
The two men have fortified a budding friendship since Murakami came to train for seven weeks in Quebec City last summer.
Dubreuil says he took advantage of it as much as his Japanese rival, a specialist in departures, as he demonstrated again on Saturday (1er in 9.44 sec).
“I had a pretty tough summer with back issues, which led to motivation issues,” Dubreuil said. When he arrived, it forced me to be a little more focused maybe. I knew he was making a big commitment by leaving Japan to come and train with me. »
Murakami spent a few nights with the Dubreuils and got to know little Rose, two and a half years old.
PHOTO YAN DOUBLET, LE SOLEIL ARCHIVES
The Japanese Yuma Murakami, last November
“I saw that he was doing a lot more weight training and longer than me,” said the Japanese in his limited English earlier this week. I do maybe twice an hour a week. Laurent does it three times, including a two and a half hour session…”
Dubreuil made him discover the joys of climbing the stairs of Cap-Blanc at full speed. Murakami never returned…
No records
As he had mentioned the day before, Dubreuil was no longer thinking about the world record mentioned earlier this week. Known to be fast, the ice in Calgary is apparently too soft at the moment, which makes maintaining balance more precarious at very high speeds.
“The times of [vendredi] dampened my spirits a bit”, said the man who was 16 hundredths from the mark with a time of 33.77 seconds last year. “Honestly, I didn’t think about the record today. I was just thinking about having a good race to win. That was the goal. »
“Might as well forget that” next week as well, at the second World Cup in Calgary.
Whose cowboy hat?
With his victory in the 500 meters, Dubreuil clinched the fifth individual gold medal in the World Cup, for a total of 28 podiums.
He celebrated by throwing his arms in the sky and doing a little “pumping” with his right fist after watching retired coach Marcel Lacoix jump from his seat to cheer him on with a thunderous shout.
“I find that hockey players react a lot,” noted the 30-year-old athlete. The vouchers have 40 per year. Can they relax a bit? We have six World Cups per season. If you win six, you’re perfect. It’s harder than score a goal, I imagine! But yes, I’m always happy when I win a medal. I don’t take them for granted. »
He checked that his last one was indeed in his backpack when we asked him where he had put it…
“I mustn’t lose her because Rose won’t be happy. It’s important to her, watching the podium ceremonies. »
Dubreuil did not wear the traditional cowboy hat, preferring to keep the cap of a sponsor. He planned to give the headgear to a fan or family member, but especially not to his grandmother…
“She is strongly sovereignist. A cowboy hat, she will cr… in the garbage! »
Fiola 13e
PHOTO FRANCOIS ROY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Quebecer Christopher Fiola, in November 2016
Seventh and eighth in his first two races of the season, Christopher Fiola was unable to continue his momentum. He ranked 13e in 34.67 seconds, the fault of a failed start, a phase in which he is used to excelling.
“I felt that I was in the wrong place when I positioned myself, explained the Montreal native. I missed my first three steps. I was arrested. I said to myself: I’m going for a good lap because I feel that it’s not a good start. […] It’s not dramatic, but I could have done better. I still stay in the top 10 overall is not the end of the world. »
At least he didn’t know the fate of his compatriot Ted-Jan Bloemen, who was disqualified for two false starts… in the 5000m. Not the best of the double Olympic medalist, who was making his comeback after a break for the birth of his son.