Courtney Sarault, of Canada, competes during the women's 1500 quarterfinals at a World Cup short track speedskating event at the Utah Olympic Oval, Friday, Nov. 4, 2022, in Kearns, Utah. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Rick Bowmer
DRESDEN, Germany – Canadians Felix Roussel and Courtney Sarault collected bronze medals in World Cup short track speedskating Saturday in Dresden.
Roussel of Sherbrooke, Que., was third in the men’s 1,000 metres for the first medal of his career in an individual race.
He took advantage of a collision between South Korea’s Tae Sung Kim and Japan’s Shogo Miyata in the five-man final.
The 21-year-old Canadian slipped into third to finish behind winner Roberts Kruzbergs of Latvia and runner-up Ji Won Park of South Korea.
“My race was not perfect, not exactly how I wanted it to be,” Roussel said.
“I think I mismanaged the start of the race a bit. What I do remember the most today are the quarterfinals and the semifinals where I raced really well. I’m still really proud to have won a medal.”
Moncton’s Sarault was among a trio of Canadian women in contention in the women’s 1,500-metre final alongside Kim Boutin and Claudia Gagnon.
Sarault jostled for position throughout most of the race and held off teammate Boutin on the final corner to take bronze behind victorious Kristen Santos-Griswold of the U.S. and silver medallist Choi Minjeong of South Korea.
Boutin of Sherbrooke, Que., was fourth.
“It was very great having us all in the ‘A’ final but of course it makes the race hard as well because we are all strong and we know how each other skate,” Sarault said.
Canada’s men’s and women’s relay teams won their respective semifinals Saturday to advance to Sunday’s final.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 4, 2023.
