Seoul, Korea

#ShortTrackSkating

There was Dutch delight but home disappointment at the KB Financial Group ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Seoul (KOR) as Suzanne Schulting (NED) beat Choi Min Jeong (KOR) in the 1500m and Xandra Velzeboer (NED) led an Oranje 1-2-3 in the 500m.

Schulting rekindled her eternal rivalry with Choi and showed off her brilliant technique and scorching pace to take gold in the Women's 1500m at the KB Financial Group ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2023 on Saturday.

With Choi being the two-time 1500m Olympic champion, home fans were primed for further Korean success at the Mokdong Ice Rink in Seoul, but Schulting silenced the crowd as she claimed the top step of the podium.

The home favorite had to settle for silver, with Kim Boutin (CAN) taking bronze.

Suzanne Schulting NED

Suzanne Schulting (NED) took the 1500m lead over Choi Min Jeong (KOR) with six laps to go and held on for gold @ISU

The distance is often a tactical affair with skaters having to keep their cool and bide their time, but this was a truly breathless race in Seoul as both Schulting and Choi went toe to toe from the start.

It was Schulting, however, who pounced from second to first with six laps remaining, and she never looked back to cross the finish line in first place.

“This is so wild. To get this win inside the lion’s den and beat the Olympic champion is crazy,” Schulting said.

“I really wanted to get this world title, but I also knew that it was going to be a difficult race against such a classy field. I managed to pull it off. It’s simply an amazing feeling.”

Schulting possesses an almost bullet-proof mental resilience which has laid the foundation for a near-impeccable winning streak in recent years – with her also winning the first ever Crystal Globe this season.

“I really allowed myself to enjoy the atmosphere and take it all in today. My performance in the semi-finals gave me such a boost as well. I was just feeling great today,” Schulting said. 

The Women's 1500m podium

Double Olympic Champion Choi, left, settled for silver with sprint specialist Kim Boutin (CAN), right, taking an impressive bronze @ISU

Boutin, meanwhile, proved she is not just a sprint specialist, as she put in an impressive performance to take bronze.

“I was trying to wait for the right moment and challenge Schulting and Choi, but I just lacked a bit of pace in the end,” the Canadian racer admitted.

“As this is not really my distance, I’m still feeling pretty proud of myself. It’s really nice to be on the podium at the World Championships.”

Velzeboer retains world title in Dutch podium sweep

There was more delight for the Netherlands in the 500m as Velzeboer led a Dutch sweep of the sprint podium ahead of Schulting, who was second, and Selma Poutsma (NED) in third.

Velzeboer demonstrated sheer speed and bravery to blow away her competition in what was a heavily talented field.

Xandra Velzeboer NED

Xandra Velzeboer (NED) blew away an impressive field to retain her World 500m crown @ISU

“This is unbelievable, just amazing. I’m so happy and relieved that I managed to do it again,” Velzeboer said.

“When I found out I made it onto the podium together with my teammates, I felt relieved once more. I mean, this is just amazing.

“I did it last year and I became even faster over the past season, so I knew it was possible. Retaining my title was the ultimate goal for this year.” 

Schulting shared a heartfelt hug with her teammate after the race.

“It’s fantastic to be standing on the podium with two teammates. Of course I always want to be the best, but Velzeboer deserves to win this world title. She has been skating incredibly fast this whole season,” Schulting said.

The women's 500m podium

Schulting, left, added 500m silver to 1500m gold, with compatriot Selma Poutsma, right, winning her first individual medal of the season @ISU

Poutsma admitted she felt very emotional after finding out she had secured a bronze medal.

“And even more when I looked in front of me and all I saw were orange suits. This [a clean sweep for the Dutch] is just amazing,” Poutsma said.

“This medal means a lot to me. Especially because this year has been one full of ups and downs. I made it to A Finals here and there, but always ended outside of the podium. Today everything came together.”

Women’s racing continues in the South Korean capital city for the closing day of the World Championships with the 1000m, Mixed Relay, and 3000m Relay finals on Sunday.

Where to watch

Viewers can watch the KB Financial Group ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships via their national broadcaster/channel.

For countries where there are no broadcasters and for the qualification and repechage races, the ISU will offer a live stream on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. You will find the full list on the Where to Watch webpage here.

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