In a thrilling spectacle at the Short Track World Championships, Canadian skater Dandjinou claims the gold medal in the 1,000-meter event.

Canadian speed skater William Dandjinou clinched the gold medal in the men’s 1,000 meters during the ISU World Short Track Championships held in Rotterdam, Netherlands, this past Sunday.

Originally from Montreal, Dandjinou finished with a time of one minute and 25.534 seconds, marking his first triumph in this event since the 2023 Four Continents Short Track Championships held in Laval, Quebec.

The 22-year-old swiftly took the lead at the onset of the race, setting a brisk pace amidst a field of five athletes.

Although two South Korean skaters briefly surged ahead with three laps remaining, Hwang Dae-heon received a penalty for impeding Park Ji-won, causing both to veer off course. This incident provided Dandjinou with the opportunity to reclaim his lead.

Dandjinou accelerated in the final laps, narrowly surpassing silver medalist Pietro Sighel of Italy by a mere 0.021 seconds. Luca Spechenhauser from Italy secured the bronze with a time of 1:26.026.

Reflecting on his victory, Dandjinou expressed surprise, especially after a disappointing performance the previous day in the 500, 1,500, and relay events. He emphasized his determination to bounce back and perform well on the last day of the championships.

Acknowledging the challenges of his first world championships, Dandjinou credited his ability to adapt to the high-level competition. Regardless of the outcomes, he aimed to maintain his self-satisfaction, considering it a blessing to emerge as the world champion.

Dandjinou had a remarkable season on the World Cup circuit, claiming gold medals in the 1,500 at various stops, securing the 1,500 World Cup classification title.

In the women’s 1,000 meters event, American Kristen Santos-Griswold seized the gold medal with a time of 1:42.717, amidst a chaotic race. She was followed by silver medalist Kim Gilli of South Korea (1:43.049) and bronze medalist Arianna Fontana of Italy (1:43.074).

The Canadian women’s relay team clinched bronze in a tumultuous 3,000-meter final. Despite several competitors encountering slips and falls, Canada finished third with a time of 4:12.675.

The Netherlands claimed victory with a time of 4:07.788, while the United States secured silver at 4:08.061.

Canada’s relay team consisted of Danae Blais, Rikki Doak, Renee Marie Steenge, and Kim Boutin. Boutin, who had earlier secured Canada’s first gold medal in the women’s 500, expressed satisfaction with their performance, despite the race’s challenges.

Including Jordan Pierre-Gilles’s bronze medal in the 500-meter event, Canada’s overall medal count at the championships reached four, two shy of last year’s total. However, Canada celebrated two additional gold medals compared to the previous year.

Prior to this event, Canada’s last gold medal at a world championship was achieved by Charles Hamelin in the men’s 1,500 meters in Dordrecht, Netherlands, in 2021.