BEIJING | After the disappointment of the 500m where he finished at the foot of the podium, Laurent Dubreuil bounced back in a good way on Friday night by winning the silver medal in the 1000m event to conclude his Olympic Games in style.
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“It’s a crazy turn of events,” said Dubreuil, who gave Quebec its first individual long track medal since Gaétan Boucher’s three at the Sarajevo Games in 1984. was going to win a medal at the Games, and just one, I wouldn’t have bet on that distance. Going from one of my biggest career disappointments given the season I know with eight podiums in eight races to one of my best moments in six days, it’s indescribable. To have reversed the situation, it is the moment of which I am most proud of my career. »
He didn’t believe it
Dubreuil was on cloud nine when he crossed the finish line. “I mightn’t believe it when I crossed the line,” he said. I had no expectations even though I believed in my chances. The disappointment was so great following the 500m that I wouldn’t even have been disappointed if I hadn’t won a medal today. »
Skating without expectations was a deliverance for Dubreuil. “Skating for fun, and light, and letting go, that was the best strategy, but it was very, very, very difficult,” he said. I haven’t had any fun in the last six days. Now I will have some for the rest of the year. »
Best 600m time in history
First following the 200 m with an opening time of 16.09 s and still occupying the first rung following 600 m under a time of 40.82 s, the skater from Lévis was able to keep pace in the last lap to slip just behind gold medalist Thomas Krol, who crossed the finish line in 1:07.92, compared to 1:08.32 for Dubreuil. The 600m time of 40.82s is the fastest time in history at sea level. Set in Hamar, Norway on January 27, 2008, the previous mark of 40.85s belonged to Canadian legend Jeremy Wotherspoon.
“I have a bad habit of looking at the board and saw that I was 0.7s ahead following 600m,” he said. I said to myself that it was possible, but I said to myself that Thomas finished much stronger than me. He is an Olympic silver medalist and world champion in the 1500m. He finishes strong and I am a 500m guy. I made sure to keep my technique and my concentration to aim for the podium. »
“I’m always low on gas at the end of a 1000m, added Dubreuil, but I usually manage to stay on the podium with such a lead. I was faster than in the World Cup. »
Last profitable pair
Dubreuil doesn’t usually like to start in the bottom pair, but he believes it was an advantage for this Olympic 1,000. He found the Dutch world champion Kai Verbij in a very strong pair.
“It didn’t help me to start from the last pair in the 500m and I don’t like it, but it helped me today. I saw the times and except for Thomas’ 1:07.92 lap time I thought to myself I can beat them, it’s not that fast and I can do this, 1:08 s, the ice is beautiful. The more the pairs advanced, the more I believed in my chances. I just left quickly and had fun without thinking regarding my chances of a medal, of chasing Dubreuil. I mightn’t have done better. It was a really good race. It’s the best result I might get and I see my second place as a victory. »
