Supreme Schulting wins two European titles, gold and silver Van ‘t Wout | To skate

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Jan 14, 2023 at 3:21 PMUpdate: 3 minutes ago

Suzanne Schulting impressed on Saturday at the European Short Track Speed ​​Skating Championships in the Polish city of Gdansk by winning gold in the 500 and 1,500 meters. Jens van ‘t Wout was also crowned European champion in the 1,500 meters and took silver in the shortest distance.

The 25-year-old Schulting was supreme in the final of the 500 meters. She immediately took the lead and skillfully kept the Polish home favorite Natalia Maliszewska behind her. Italy’s Arianna Valcepina finished third.

Schulting took her third European title in the 500 meters, after previous success in 2020 and 2021. She was second in that number a year ago at the Beijing Olympics. At the European Championships in Gdansk she can still take gold in the 1,000 meters and the relay.

Xandra Velzeboer was previously the main competitor for Schulting in the 500 meters in Gdansk, but things went wrong for the world champion on Friday. She was disqualified due to a false start in the qualifying round. Yara van Kerkhof was sentenced to the B-final after a crash in the semi-finals.

An hour and a half before the final in the 500 meters, Schulting was already in a class of his own in the 1,500 meters. She took the lead seven laps before the end and she didn’t relinquish it. The Belgian Hanne Desmet came close at the finish, but had to give in and took silver. The German Anne Seidel was third.

For Schulting, it is her eleventh gold European Championship medal in total and her fourth in a row in the 1,500 meters. De Friezin also won the final classification in the previous three editions. The all-round title has been abolished. From now on, medals will only be awarded per distance.

Jens van ‘t Wout crossed the line just before Stijn Desmet.Photo: Getty Images

Gold and silver for Van ‘t Wout

In the men’s 1,500 meters, Van ‘t Wout spectacularly took his first gold medal at an international title tournament. The Dutchman seemed to be second behind Stijn Desmet, but he crossed the finish line just a little earlier than the Belgian. Friso Emons took the bronze.

Van ‘t Wout hoped to follow Schulting’s example in the 500 meters, but he did not succeed. He had to chase from the start and had to let the Italian Pietro Sighel go two laps before the end. Van ‘t Wout did secure the silver behind that, for Reinis Berzins from Latvia.

Van ‘t Wout made his breakthrough in international short track this season. The Dutchman, who was eliminated in the series in the 500 and 1,000 meters at the Olympic Games in Beijing last year, won three World Cup competitions this season. It was his first senior race.

The second day of the European Short Track Speed ​​Skating Championships will conclude on Saturday with the semi-finals of the relay. Schulting gets a rest and does not take action yet. The tournament will last until Sunday.

Sjinkie Knegt is a notable absentee at the European Championships in Gdansk. The experienced Frisian recently drove a dramatic Dutch Championship, where the European Championship tickets were distributed. He still hoped for a point of reference, but did not get it from the KNSB.

Xandra Velzeboer was also disqualified in the 1,500 meters and therefore has a bad European Championship. Photo: Getty Images

Beeld: Getty Images

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