Miho Takagi (JPN) left Tomaszów Mazowiecki’s Arena Lodowa on Saturday with two gold medals around her neck, but she was still not entirely happy. The Japanese star had set out to claim the 1500m track record and despite winning the distance with a 1.07-second-margin, fell 0.63s short of her own 2021 mark.
Later on an action-packed Saturday afternoon, she added what she called a “lucky” Team Pursuit gold after the Netherlands were disqualified. In the meantime Erin Jackson (USA) bounced back from Friday’s fourth place in the 500m to win the distance at the second time of asking.
Takagi takes four from four in 1500m
Starting in the final pairing of the 1500m, Takagi was the only woman to break the 1:57 barrier at the Arena Lodowa with a time of 1:56.63, extending her unbeaten 1500m streak to four this World Cup season. She left Marijke Groenewoud (NED) 1.07s adrift and Joy Beune (NED) finished third in 1:58.21.
“It’s nice to have such a big gap,” Takagi said. “But I actually tried to break the track record [Takagi’s own 1:56.00] today, so I’m not really content. My lap between 700m and 1100m was good, but the first 700m I was a little bit too slow.”
Miho Takagi (JPN) extended her 1500m winning streak in this year's World Cup to four but had targeted her own track record © ISU
Groenewoud feels pretty much at home at the Arena Lodowa, but she didn’t pace her race very well.
“I had a pair-mate in Nadezhda Morozova (KAZ), who started very fast and I tried to keep up, so the first lap cost me too much energy and I had to pay for that in the second lap, but the third lap was alright again.
“I do skate well on this ice. As far as I’m concerned they can organize the World Championships here. It’s not very fast, but that’s the same for everyone.”
Marijke Groenewoud (NED) admitted going out too fast but despite the pacing issues is a fan of the Tomaszów Mazowiecki ice © ISU
Beune took her first individual podium finish of the season after four fourth places and a fifth place in the 3000m and the 1500m previously.
“Of course I’m very happy,” Beune said. “Everyone told me how they felt for me [after so many fourth places], but a fourth place is not too bad. It’s just unlucky that you don’t get rewarded with a medal.”
Beune had benefited from a new technique which she copied from her partner, Olympic 1500m champion Kjeld Nuis (NED).
Joy Beune (NED) showed off a new technique which helped lift her onto the podium after four fourth places this season © Getty Images
“I tried to skate with both hands on my back this time. It’s good to try it and it worked out well. I have an example at home [Nuis] and he said that I would skate better technically if I’d keep both hands on my back.
“I was nervous about it and when I put my hands on the back on the first backstretch I lost a bit of balance for a moment, but after that, it worked out well. The next competition will be the Dutch national championships. I’d be nervous to do it again, but I’ll try - no guts, no glory!”
Japan win 'lucky' gold after Dutch DQ
Beune’s happy day would ultimately end in tears after the Team Pursuit. Together with Marijke Groenewoud and Irene Schouten (NED), she seemed to be on track for the winning time, but the Dutch team were disqualified because Beune did not wear her the mandatory transponders for time-keeping.
Together with Momoka Horikawa and Ayano Sato, Miho Takagi (JPN) took advantage. The Japanese women completed their six laps in a time of 3 minutes and 0.35s, keeping Canada (Bëatrice Lamarche, Valérie Maltais and Ivanie Blondin) 2.89s behind in second place.
Thanks to the Dutch disqualification, hosts Poland (Karolina Bosiek, Natalia Jabrzyk and Magdalena Czyszczon) got onto the podium in third place clocking 3:05.88.
Takagi won a second gold of the day on Japan's pursuit team. Canada took the silver and hosts Poland the bronze © ISU
“This is bad for everybody,” Takagi said about the Dutch disqualification. “Of course it’s sad for them, but it’s also that we will never know what their time would have been. I think they were faster than us, but anyway. It’s lucky and gold is gold.”
Canada’s Maltais did not have to say too much about it: “It’s totally their fault, we did what we did.”
The Olympic champions skated in a different line-up because Isabelle Weidemann (CAN) went home after the two Asian legs of the World Cup to regroup.
“She just needed a good reset at home,” Maltais explained. “I was encouraging her. It’s not always easy to take a decision like that. I got some news from her the other day, and I think she’s been good.”
The Netherlands team of Irene Schouten, Joy Beune and Marijke Groenewoud were despondent after their disqualification © Getty Images
Lamarche was happy to fill in the gap.
“It was a good experience for me, I think skated well together,” she said. “We had a little issue with two laps to go, but the girls helped me to get back. I clipped my skates together, but she [pointing at Blondin] picked me up, and she [pointing at Maltais] grabbed me, we were a real team, so it was nice.”
Jackson strikes back
In between the 1500m and the team Pursuit, Erin Jackson (USA) regrouped after Friday’s fourth place in the 500m to win the shortest distance in 37.80s. Friday’s winner Kim Min Sun (KOR) took second in 37.96s and Femke Kok (NED) came in third in 38.13s.
Erin Jackson (USA) bounced back from fourth in Friday's 500m to win Saturday's return and regain top spot in the rankings © ISU
“Yesterday I lost focus a little bit and today, I was trying to get my head back into the game,” said Olympic Champion Jackson. She remembered having won her first ever World Cup gold in Tomaszów Mazowiecki back in November 2021.
“It feels nice [to be back]. I like the feel of the track and the ice. I don’t mind slow ice, my race is so short maybe if I was in a 1500m it would be different.”
Jackson is enjoying the battle with Kim, who is now second in the World Cup ranking.
“It’s nice, and Femke is in there as well. It’s been a good battle, hopefully we can keep it going and hopefully Kimi [Kimi Goetz, USA] - we call her Big Kim and Kim Min Sun is Little Kim - will come back up there as well.”
Friday's 500m gold and silver medalists Kim Min Sun (KOR, left) and Femke Kok (NED, right) each took a step down the podium © ISU
Little Kim herself was pleased with her opener, but felt she lost it on the backstretch.
“It was the first time this season I had a 10.4 opener, but after the first corner I had some mistakes, that’s why I couldn’t get the gold medal,” she admitted.
“But anyway, I’m so happy with my start. I think that’s a good sign. Now I have to combine the good start with a good lap.”
Kok was happy to get another medal, though her race had been 0.18s slower than Friday’s.
“It just didn’t feel that good. I was a little too eager and stayed upright a bit too much, therefore I didn’t really hit my strokes well. But the opener was OK, so I’m happy with that.”
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ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series events 2023/24:
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