December 10th is a date that brings great joy to long-distance speed skater Laurent Dubreuil.
Dubreuil, who posted a career-best time of 33.77 in 2021, also secured his final World Cup win of 2022 in Calgary before climbing to the top step of the podium yesterday in Tomaszow Mazowiecki, Poland.
From the 8th pair of ten with his Japanese friend Yuma Murakami, Dubreuil won the 500 meter race with 34 seconds and 73 seconds ahead of the Chinese Olympic champion Tinguy Gao (34 seconds and 79 seconds) and the local hero Damian Zurek (34 seconds and 87 minutes). .
For Dubreuil, this is the third medal in seven 500m races this season and the sixth gold medal of his career.
“I'm really happy and it's a good end to an autumn that was more difficult,” said the Olympic silver medalist in the 1000 m in Beijing 2022. December 10th must be a happy date for me. At the end of the week I found the best sensations of the season. It was very good on Saturday, but today I had an even better race.”
“Although I have many medals (34) in the World Cup, I only have six wins and it is very special to win and chase the two-time World Cup winner in the overall rankings. Last year I won three international races in a row and it was almost normal to win.”
“Proud to have gotten back on my feet”
Dubreuil, silver medalist in the 500m on Saturday, finished the first half of the season well after experiencing more difficult times at the start of the season. “I had my last tough patch before COVID-19 and I'm proud to have bounced back, even if a 4th place finish in the cumulative rankings wasn't anything catastrophic,” he said. Although I had short-term doubts due to my knee and back injuries, I was confident of getting back on my feet in the medium term and was not stressed. When I finished 6th or 7th, I knew I could go faster if I corrected my execution errors.
“It will never be as difficult to get back on my feet as it was at the Beijing Games, where I came 4th in the 500m, everyone saw me on the podium and I managed to win a medal in the 1000m , an event in which I win one every year, adds the 31-year-old skater from Lévis, who skipped the 1000m in Poland, something he hadn't done for a long time. I am well positioned to achieve my ultimate goal of winning gold at the World Championships in Calgary in February. I'm back in the game a lot stronger than I thought a week ago.
Two birds with one stone
Laurent Dubreuil killed two birds with one stone by taking his first win of the season and moving up to 2nd place in the overall Long Track Speed Skating World Cup standings, but he remains realistic about his chances of winning a third consecutive title.
Dubreuil is 60 points behind the Japanese Wataru Morishige, who has had four wins since the start of the season but couldn't do better than 7th place yesterday after a false start.
“I attach great importance to this title, but I am no longer the master of my fate,” he summarized. I'm pretty far away and it's practically impossible to finish in first place. Even if I won the last three World Cups, which I would never dare predict, Morishige would still beat me by finishing in the top 5 in every race. It’s a long way from a 60-point deficit and Wataru is still the favorite.”
After an absence of almost six weeks, Dubreuil returns to his family and begins an important phase in the run-up to the final stretch of the season, which will notably include a World Championship from February 2-4 in Quebec.
“I've come a long way but I need to improve my 1000m, not in the hope of winning a World Cup medal, but to give myself a chance of a podium place at the World Sprint Championships, where both disciplines are counted will,” he said. -he explains. The challenge is to improve without losing my 500m explosion. By improving in the 1000m, I will finish the 500m stronger. It’s a challenge that excites me.”
A 6e Position for Valérie Maltais
Valérie Maltais, who wore the yellow hat of the leaders in the general classification of the mass start, finished in 6th place, losing one place in the general classification. Her teammate Ivanie Blondin took 2nd place.
“There is nothing catastrophic, but I have to prepare myself better,” he emphasized. For this reason, the race left me wanting more. I had the necessary speed, but wasn’t aggressive enough.”