Established stars of the senior scene, new faces to watch and two junior World Records – the ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2020, held this weekend in Bormio, Italy, were a real thriller.
Velzeboer shines as new generation of Dutch and Korean skaters take medals in Ladies’ events
Xandra Velzeboer (NED) during the 500m race at the ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
The Ladies’ competition in Bormio was fascinating, with Xandra Velzeboer (NED) perhaps the standout athlete. Velzeboer has already made it on to the senior Netherlands Relay side on a few occasions, no easy task when there is a line-up including the likes of Suzanne Schulting, Lara van Ruijven and Yara van Kerkhof.
In Bormio, she showed why. Velzeboer stormed to 500m gold, putting good distance between herself and Florence Brunelle (CAN) who took silver and Corinne Stoddard (USA) in the bronze medal position.
Xandra Velzeboer, Georgie Dalrymple, Anne Floor Otter and Marijn Wiersma (NED) after the 3000m Relay at the ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
Velzeboer then teamed up with Georgie Dalrymple, Anne Floor Otter and Marijn Wiersma to win the Ladies’ 3000m Relay in an impressive Junior World Record time of 4 minutes, 12:019 seconds. Russia took silver and Italy bronze.
Elsewhere, the Republic of Korea dominated. The victory of Kim Geonhee (KOR) in the Ladies’ 1500m was perhaps the least surprising result of the weekend. Kim has already won a senior 1500m World Cup title, in Almaty 2018/19. In Bormio, she proved too strong for the field, beating Florence Brunelle of Canada into the silver medal position and Li Xuan of China into the bronze.
Kim Geonhee (KOR) at the ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
Brunelle is yet to compete on the senior circuit but impressed by finishing ahead of Li, who achieved some top-ten ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating results last season.
Stoddard is another promising skater and has been a key part of the USA’s excellent senior Relay team this season. In the 1000m, the excellent Kim Gilli (KOR) won gold, with Stoddard taking silver and Anna Matveeva (RUS) the bronze.
Corinne Stoddard (USA), Gilli Kim (KOR) and Anna Matveeva (RUS) at the ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
New generation of Koreans dominate Men’s competition
The Republic of Korea dominated the Men’s competition, winning three of the four gold medals available.
Kim Taesung (KOR) at the ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
Kim Taesung was victorious in the 1500m, finishing ahead of teammate Ahn Hyunjun who claimed silver, and Zhang Tianyi (CHN) bronze. Kim and Ahn are yet to compete at senior level but both looked technically accomplished as they completed an impressive 1-2.
Lee Jeongmin (KOR) at the ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
Lee Jeongmin, fresh from becoming 500m champion at the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games, once again turned on the jets to win the same distance in Bormio. His raw power beat Vladimir Balbekov (RUS) into second place, with Sun Long (CHN), who fell, a distant third.
Sun Long (CHN) at the ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
Sun, however, ensured it was not all about the Koreans in Italy, with a mighty performance in the 1000m in which he pipped silver medalist Ahn on the line. The consistent Balbekov grabbed the bronze.
But it was a team effort that was perhaps the most remarkable performance of the weekend. Republic of Korea’s powerful line-up of Lee, Kim, Ahn and Jang Sungwoo – who won a gold and two silvers in Lausanne – put aside battling each other for individual honors to obliterate the Junior World Record in the Men’s 3000m Relay, finishing in 3:55:494.
Team Korea at the ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
All four look capable of stepping up to senior level and will ensure that Korea’s team remains extremely competitive for years to come. Russia got Relay silver, and Japan bronze.
