Canadian Kim Boutin wins women’s 500-metre short-track gold medal

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands — Canada’s Kim Boutin won gold in the women’s 500-metre final Saturday at the ISU world short-track speedskating championships.

Boutin, of Sherbrooke, Que., posted a winning time of 42.626 seconds. Dutch skater Xandra Velzeboer, the defending champion, was second (42.833) ahead of American Kristen Santos-Griswold (42.929).

The gold medal was Boutin’s first at a world championship, having finished second six times and third on seven other occasions.

Jordan Pierre-Gilles, also of Sherbrooke, took third in the men’s event in 52.289 seconds, ahead of fourth-place finisher Steven Dubois of Laval, Que. (55.412). China’s Lin Xiaojun was first in 41.592 second, with Denis Nikisha of Kazakhstan second in 41.676.