The Canadian short track speed skating squad continued their impressive performance in the Olympic season by securing three additional medals at the ISU World Tour event held in Montreal.
Courtney Sarault from Moncton, N.B., clinched her second consecutive gold medal by triumphing in the women’s 1,500-meter final with a time of 2 minutes 22.156 seconds at Maurice Richard Arena.
The 25-year-old athlete outpaced Kim Gil-li from South Korea (2:22.217) and Corinne Stoddard from the United States (2:22.256) for the second day in a row after her victory in the 1,000m final on Saturday.
Sarault had achieved silver medals in both distances during the previous year’s world championships in Beijing.
“I felt I performed well in my 1,500m win, leading the race and displaying strength. I am delighted that my rigorous training and hard work are yielding results. It’s gratifying when your efforts in training translate into success,” Sarault commented.
Courtney Sarault of Moncton, N.B., secured the gold in the women’s 1,500-meter race at the season-opening ISU Short Track World Tour event in Montreal. This victory marks her second gold medal of the weekend and her fourth medal overall, as she also claimed third place in both the Team Mixed Relay and the Women’s 3000m Relay.
Fellow Canadian Olympian Kim Boutin, aged 30, earned a silver medal earlier on Sunday in the women’s 500m, finishing with a time of 43.087 seconds. The reigning world champion from Sherbrooke, Que., came second behind Dutch skater Xandra Velzeboer (42.972), while Stoddard secured the bronze in 43.142.
This marked Boutin’s return to the podium after failing to secure a place in an individual distance throughout the previous season.
“I was emotional after that race,” Boutin expressed. “Every athlete wishes to end their career on a positive note, so realizing that I can still compete with the top 500m skaters brings me joy.
“It’s always nerve-wracking when competitors gain momentum behind you. Today, I used that as an opportunity to practice racing from a more defensive stance.”
Velzeboer holds the world record with her time of 41.416 achieved during the 2022 World Cup event in Salt Lake City, surpassing Boutin’s previous record of 41.936 set
