A focus on teamwork — in both individual distances and in the relay — helped Canada’s short track squad capture four medals, including three gold, on home ice on Saturday during the second stop of the ISU Short Track World Tour in Montreal.
The women’s relay team of Kim Boutin (Sherbrooke, Que.), Danae Blais (Chateauguay, Que.), Florence Brunelle (Trois-Rivieres, Que.) and Rikki Doak (Fredericton, N.B.) earned a gold medal, finishing the 27-lap marathon with a time of 4:07.841. They were joined on the podium by Italy (4:08.112) and China (4:09.376).
The Canadian quartet showed resilience, refocusing following a disastrous fall in the semifinal that almost put them out of medal contention. Fortunately for the hometown team, they were advanced to the A Final after Poland was penalized during that same race.
WATCH | Dandjinou continues his dominance in 1,500m:
William Dandjinou of Montreal took top spot in Saturday’s 1500-metre short track speed skating World Tour race race on home soil.
In the loaded A Final, Brunelle passed both an Italian and Korean skater during her final leg, giving Canada the lead with three laps remaining, before propelling Boutin into the final sprint to the finish.
Canada also captured three medals in individual distances on Saturday.
WATCH | Dubois takes home 500m gold:
Steven Dubois of Laval, Que., places first in the men’s short track speed skating 500-metre final and William Dandjinou from Sherbrooke, Que., finishes second at a World Tour event in Montreal.
Dandjinou (Montreal, Que.) opened the day by repeating as the men’s 1,500-metres winner, earning a first-place finish in the longest distance for the second consecutive weekend. The current Crystal Globe points leader posted a time of 2:17.138, placing him ahead of Latvia’s Robert Kruzbergs (2:17.246) and Italy’s Sighel (2:17.364).
WATCH | Canadian women’s team on its gold-medal win:
Canada’s Kim Boutin, Florence Brunelle and Rikki Doak discuss their win in the women’s 3,000-metre relay final at a World Tour event in Montreal. They’re joined by fellow teammate Danaé Blais.
