BEIJING — After just missing the Olympic podium in his signature event, Canadian speedskater Laurent Dubreuil earned a silver medal in a race that wasn't his specialty.
An elated Dubreuil shook his head at finishing second in the 1,000 metres Friday at Beijing's Ice Ribbon oval.
Six days earlier, he'd fallen short of a medal by three hundredths of a second in the 500 and finished fourth. Dubreuil is the reigning world champion in that race.
"It's crazy to win a medal in the 1,000 and not in the 500. That's not what I would have bet on," he said. "As much as it was disappointing and a letdown six days ago, this is incredible and a huge surprise for me,
"I knew I could do it. My mindset was just go out there skate light, free and create a surprise. I didn't quite win, but it feels like a win for me."
The 29-year-old from Lévis, Que posted a time of one minute 8.32 seconds.
He finished 0.40 seconds behind gold-medallist Thomas Krol of the Netherlands, who crossed the line in 1:07.92.
Haavard Holmefjord Lorentzen of Norway took the bronze in 1:08.48.
Skating in the final pairing with Dutch world champion Kai Verbij, Laurent's first 600 metres was so quick that Verbij couldn't make the switch from the inner lane to the outer lane on the crossover and pulled up.
"The inner skater has to let the outer skater go because he's faster. If he doesn't, he's disqualified," explained Dubreuil's coach Gregor Jelonek.
Dubreuil finished on the podium in the 500 in all eight World Cups races this season.
He hadn't won a medal in the 1,000 this winter, although he finished third in last year's world championship.
"The 500 is more natural for me," he said. "The 1,000 is something I've worked extremely hard for."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 18, 2022.
Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
