Kim Boutin Helps Canada Skate to Silver at Milan-Cortina Olympics
The Canadian short track speed skating team captured Canada’s first silver medal at the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games on Tuesday. After starting in third place, the Canadian mixed relay team delivered a strong performance to secure second place, falling short of overtaking the Italians who claimed gold. Belgium took home the bronze.
Courtney Sarault led the Canadian team, initially placing them in third during the first lap. Kim Boutin, Félix Roussel, and William Dandjinou maintained this position during their first exchange.
With 10 laps remaining, Belgium overtook Canada, briefly dropping them to last place. However, the Canadians mounted a comeback in the following laps. During Sarault’s second exchange, Boutin passed the Belgian skater. With four laps to go, Roussel capitalized on a mistake by a Chinese skater, overtaking them to secure second place. Dandjinou attempted to close the gap with Italy in the final two laps, but their lead proved too substantial.
In a surprising finish, the Italian skater completed the race backwards, arms raised, looking at their competitors just before crossing the finish line. All four Canadian skaters who participated in the final, along with Florence Brunelle and Steven Dubois, who contributed in the quarterfinals and semifinals, joined the podium to receive their silver medals. This marks Canada’s first medal in short track at these Olympic Games.
Head coach Marc Gagnon is aiming for a record of seven medals for his team throughout the Games. Earlier in the semifinals, the Canadians narrowly avoided disaster. With five laps to go, Courtney Sarault was overtaken by an American skater, who immediately lost their footing after the pass. Sarault skillfully avoided the falling skater, regaining the lead. Korea wasn’t so fortunate; their skater collided with the American, preventing them from qualifying for the A final.
Other Olympic Highlights
- Norwegian Johannes Klaebo won his seventh Olympic gold medal in the cross-country sprint.
- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed the Ukrainian flag bearer to wear a black armband in remembrance of the conflict with Russia.
- Swedish skier Linn Svahn won gold in the women’s sprint cross-country skiing.
- Canadian Mikaël Kingsbury qualified third in the men’s moguls event.
- American Breezy Johnson warned about the fragility of the Olympic medals, with several athletes reporting them breaking.
Stay tuned for more updates from the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics!
