Almost everything Angel Daleman (NED) touched in Hachinohe City turned to gold last weekend at the ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships. The 16-year-old Dutchwoman won all but two of the events in which she competed, seizing five individual golds and the Team Sprint title. The teenager also picked up a silver medal in the Team Pursuit. In the more-balanced Men’s competition, Sigurd Henriksen (NOR) won his third consecutive 5000m title.
Angel Daleman (NED) celebrates winning the World title in the Mass Start in Hachinohe City, Japan © ISU
Daleman takes it (almost) all
Having swept all three disciplines at the Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon in January, Daleman took it easy at the third and final World Cup event in Hachinohe City last weekend, when she skated only the 500m and the Team Sprint, winning both.
The teenager had set her sights on the World Championships, participating in all seven events. Winning the 500m, the 1000m, the 1500m, the Allround title and the Mass Start, she missed out on just one individual title.
Out in front: Angel Daleman (NED) leads the way at the ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships in Hachinohe City, Japan © ISU
Aurora Grinden Løvås (NOR), victorious in all three Junior World Cup 3000m races this season, added the World title in the longest distance to her tally, with Daleman finishing fifth to secure Allround gold. Løvås came second in those standings. Meike Veen (NED), who took bronze in the 1000m and the 1500m, was third.
Aurora Grinden Lovas (NOR), queen of this season's 3000m, in action in Hachinohe City, Japan © ISU
In the team events on Sunday, Daleman added Team Sprint gold to her individual titles, alongside Veen and Jillian Knook (NED), while Japan’s Hana Noake, Emika Miyagawa and Yukina Hatakeyama seized victory in the Team Pursuit, leaving Daleman, Veen and Patricia Koot (NED) trailing in second place.
Third consecutive title for Henriksen
The Men’s competition was more evenly balanced, as four skaters claimed the six individual gold medals on offer. Sigurd Henriksen (NOR) left Metoděj Jílek (CZE) just .84s behind to win his third consecutive 5000m World Junior title, before entering the senior ranks next season.
Three Worlds, three titles: Sigurd Henriksen (NOR) strikes again in Hachinohe City, Japan © ISU
Kyungmin Koo (KOR) crowned himself king of the sprint winning both the 500m and the 1000m, while Didrik Eng Strand (NOR) grabbed 1500m gold, leaving three-time Youth Olympic champion Finn Sonnekalb (GER) behind in second place. The Norwegian prodigy also secured the Allround classification, with Sonnekalb again finishing second. Finn Elias Haneberg (NOR) took Allround bronze.
Double gold: Kyungmin Koo (KOR) sprints to victory in the 500m in Hachinohe City, Japan © ISU
Yuta Fuchigami (JPN) won the Men’s Mass Start, outsprinting Canada’s Daniel Hall (silver) and Japan’s Taiki Shingai (bronze).
Yuta Fuchigami (JPN) takes Mass Start gold on home ice in Hachinohe City, Japan © ISU
Canada (Daniel Hall, Luca Veeman, Max Poulin) won the Team Pursuit, and Norway (Miika Johan Klevstuen, Didrik Eng Strand, Finn Elias Haneberg) took Team Sprint gold.
Further information on the ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships is available here.
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