Canada’s Sarault wins silver at short-track speedskating World Cup in Beijing

BEIJING – Canadian speedskater Courtney Sarault won a silver medal in the women’s 1,500 metres on Saturday at the ISU World Cup Short Track competition.

South Korea’s Yubin Lee won gold in two minutes 21.833 seconds. Sarault, a Moncton native, was second in 2:22.167, outstretching American Kristen Santos (2:22.176) at the line.

“I definitely wasn’t expecting this today,” Sarault said. “During the warmup, I was having a bit of difficulty with my boots and my blades. I was going into the races just planning to have fun, to try to make the B-final and to work on what I have to do tactically.

“I ended up with a silver medal, so I’m proud of myself for overcoming what I didn’t think I could and I’m excited for what’s next.”

Kim Boutin of Sherbrooke, Que., was fifth.

Charles Hamelin of Sainte-Julie, Que., was fourth in the men’s 1,500 B-final. Teammate Steven Dubois of Lachenaie, Que., was fifth.

The Canadian women advanced to the B-final after placing third in the relay semifinals.

Competition continues Sunday at the Capital Indoor Stadium. The World Cup is serving as a test event for the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2021.