Sarault brings back ‘aggressive self’ to secure first ever gold
At last Courtney Sarault (CAN) knows what it feels like to win a major ISU title. And, having taken a dominant gold in a high-class women’s 1500m at the Four Continents Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Salt Lake City on Friday, she knows just who to thank.
Courtney Sarault (CAN) attacked the last two laps to take 1500m gold ahead of Santos-Griswold (USA) and Choi Min Jeong (KOR) in Salt Lake City. © ISU
“The aggressive style is me, it’s mine,” Sarault said after finishing ahead of hometown favourite Kristen Santos-Griswold (USA) – winner of two silver medals on the night. Two-time 1500m Olympic champion Choi Min Jeong (KOR) had to settle for bronze.
“But I stopped doing it for a while,” Sarault added. “I started trying to race differently and do passes on the outside and stuff but today I thought ‘No, bring her back’.”
The strong, physically dominant Sarault kept herself around the front of a dynamic long-distance race which saw the lead change hands multiple times in the first 750m. Then, with two laps to go and the legendary Choi hovering, Sarault decided enough was enough.
“I looked up and saw the laps [left] and said to myself, ‘I’m going, that’s it’ and I closed it off,” said Sarault, the 2021 world championship 1500m silver medallist.
Silver medal winner Santos-Griswold had no answer.
“Courtney is so strong and so hard to get around,” the USA star said. “She held a great pace to the end and I couldn’t catch her.”
Previously Sarault had won two individual world championship silver medals plus eight ISU World Cup silver medals without ever quite getting over the line first.
So close for Santos-Griswold
Santos-Griswold, who excelled once again and secured a hard-fought second place in the 500m to go with her 1500m silver, admitted she now wants a bit of what Sarault finally has.
Kristen Santos-Griswold (USA, right) had to settle for a second silver of the night behind Shim Suk Hee (KOR, left) in the 500m. © ISU
“It is frustrating to come so close,” she said after finishing just 27 hundredths of a second behind sprint gold medal winner Shim Suk Hee (KOR). “I’ve been getting bronze a lot [Santos-Griswold has won two individual and one relay bronze in the ISU World Cup this season already] and it’s nice to upgrade.
“You always race for gold but sometimes it doesn’t work out that way.”
The two silver medals are Santos-Griswold’s first pieces of major championship hardware and the skater, who finished second in the overall World Cup 1000m standings last season, does still have her favourite distance to come.
“It’s the third week of racing in a row [following the ISU World Cup meets in Montreal and Salt Lake City] but I am ready to attack in the 1000m,” she confirmed.
Shim delights in her surprise sprint success
Korea’s Shim has long been familiar with the top step of the podium, having won the first of incredible 21 1500m World Cup gold medals back in the 2012/13 season. However, the veteran endurance specialist shocked even herself by claiming a first major gold in the sprint.
Shim Suk Hee (KOR) led the 500m from the first corner to claim a first major gold at the shorter distance. © ISU
She did it in style too, leading from the first corner to leave Santos-Griswold and 19-year-old bronze medallist Zhang Chutong (CHN) in her wake.
“Of course, I am surprised,” the 25-year-old Korean laughed. “I am getting old so maybe it’s time to change to short distances.”
Despite her many years on the elite circuit, Shim has no intention of stopping any time soon simply because she “loves skating”.
With Shim, Santos-Griswold and Sarault all pinpointing Saturday’s 1000m as their favourite distance as well as Choi, the defending Four Continents 1000m champion, to consider, it is a race that no Short Track fan will want to miss.
Canada, USA and Korea will also go head-to-head in what should be a thrilling women’s 3000m relay final.
For all information about the ISU Four Continents Short Track Speed Skating Championships, please visit webpage here.
Where to watch
Viewers will be able to watch the Saturday and Sunday races via their national broadcaster/channel. You will find the full list of available channels on the Where to watch webpage here.
For countries where there are no broadcasters, the ISU will offer a live stream of the qualification and repechage rounds on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. Make sure to subscribe to receive live stream notifications.
ISU Short Track Speed Skating Championships events 2022/23:
Nov 10 - 12, 2022 ISU Four Continents Short Track Speed Skating Championships – Salt Lake City (USA)
Jan 13 - 15, 2023 ISU European Short Track Speed Skating Championships – Gdansk (POL)
Jan 27 - 29, 2023 ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships – Dresden (GER)
Mar 10 - 12, 2023 ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships – Seoul (KOR)
.png)
.png)
