By Canadian Press

Canada’s Danae Blais claims World Cup short track gold in Beijing

Dec 7, 2024 | 9:43 AM

BEIJING — Canadian short track speedskater Danae Blais captured her first World Cup gold medal in an individual distance Saturday when she was first in the women’s 1,000 metres.

The 25-year-old from Chateauguay, Que., raced from the front of the pack at the start and held off a late challenge by runner-up Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands.

“Winning gold is an incredible feeling,” Blais said in a statement from Speed Skating Canada.

“The level of competition is extremely elevated this season, so I didn’t really have the feeling that I was going to reach the top this early on. It’s a tremendous feeling knowing that I have what it takes to become the best.”

Blais later joined Moncton’s Courtney Sarault, Kim Boutin of Sherbrooke, Que., and Florence Brunelle of Trois-Rivieres, Que., to take gold in the women’s 3,000-metre relay.

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“I feel like we are just going to keep improving,” Brunelle said. “The way we work is 10 out of 10.”

The relay had to be restarted after Chinese skater Wang Ye suffered a bad fall with eight laps remaining. Canada finished well ahead of silver medallist South Korea and bronze medallist Kazakhstan.

On the men’s side, Montreal’s William Dandjinou and Steven Dubois of Lachenaie, Que., were silver medallists in the 1,500 and 500 metres respectively.

Dandjinou has finished in the top three in all three World Cups so far this season to lead the men’s 1,500-metre overall standings.

Dubois broke his own Canadian record in a 500-metre quarterfinal with a time of 39.825 seconds.

Racing continues in Beijing with Sunday’s mixed relay, the women’s 1,500 and 500 metres, and the men’s 1,000 and 5,000-metre relay.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 7, 2024.

The Canadian Press