GDANSK, POLAND – Florence Brunelle earned her second World Junior Championship title of the season on Sunday, winning gold in the women’s 1000m with a perfectly executed series of late passes.
The 18-year old spent much of the A Final at the back of the pack, but turned on the jets with two laps remaining and passed the entire field from the outside. She outstretched Korea’s Kim Gilli (1:32.072) at the finish line to bring home gold in a time of 1:32.000. Diede van Oorschot of the Netherlands was third (1:32.298).
Brunelle’s 1000m crown comes just one day after she earned the same colour medal in the women’s 500m. The skater from Trois-Rivières, Que., now has four individual distance World Junior Championship medals, having also won silver in the 500m and 1500m in 2020.
I am just so happy to have been able to show what I am capable of.
– Florence Brunelle
Yesterday’s 500m silver medalist Ann-Sophie Bachand won the 1000m B Final on Sunday with a time of 1:33.417, narrowly defeating Hungary’s Maja Somodi (1:33.436).
It was a week full of emotions, but I enjoyed participating in my first world juniors. I am very proud of my individual performances, but to win the relay with the girls was the cherry on top of the sundae.
– Ann-Sophie Bachand
Brunelle and Bachand followed up their individual successes by joining forces with teammates Anne-Clara Belley and Ayisha Qi Miao and guiding Canada’s women’s relay team to victory. Team Canada held the lead for most of the race until the Dutch took over with only four laps to go. However, Brunelle made a late inside pass in the final lap, zooming past the Dutch to cross the finish line first and secure the gold medal for Canada with the time of 4:19.363. The Dutch won silver (4:19.469) while Hungary won bronze (4:19.518).
I am super thrilled the experience (at the World Juniors) and I am happy to win a medal with the girls.
– Ayisha Qi Miao
The experience has been very enriching with a lot of learnings! I am happy that I was able to participate in this competition with a great group of girls. The relay was a defining moment, as it was incredible to win gold! I leave this competition with a lot of great memories and the thirst to keep competing.
– Anne-Clara Belley
In the men’s relay, Samuel Bureau, Samuel Green, Alexandre Migner and Thomas Simpkin skated for Canada in the 3000m B Final, finishing first with a time of 4:06.061.
After a packed weekend of racing for the junior team at their first international competition since 2020, Canadians take home a total of four medals, three gold and one silver, and a wealth of experience to build from for next season.
Results
Florence Brunelle: 1st in 1000m
Ann-Sophie Bachand: 6th in 1000m
Anne-Clara Belley: 15th in 1000m
Samuel Green: 13th in 1000m
Alexandre Migner: 14th in 1000m
Women’s relay: 1st in 3000m
Men’s relay: 5th in 3000m