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Who needs the Netherlands anymore? Certainly not Hanne Desmet. Since moving to Canada, the short track star has won more awards than ever before. At the European Championships in Gdansk she will only be satisfied with medals: “Now just do it.”
Gold over 1,000 m, silver over 1,500 m and again silver in the mixed relay. This is what Hanne Desmet (27)’s harvest looked like at the European Championships in January 2023. Her younger brother Stijn (25) packed the same medals in his suitcase. Two months later, at the World Championships, things were a little less: zero medals for Hanne and “only” one (silver in the 1,000 m) for Stijn. The two Belgians were very upset when they found out shortly before the World Cup that they could not rely on their Dutch regular coach Sarrat. His ice skating association forbade him to train there as a coach – so as not to unnecessarily intensify the competition.
© International Skating Union via
As a result, Hanne and Stijn Desmet ended their association with the Dutch team after five years of training in Heerenveen, following a new but inadequate proposal. They sought and found protection in the USA and Canada: in June they moved to Salt Lake City, eight weeks later to Montreal. It is a partnership that will generally last until the 2026 Winter Games. “I trained much more intensively and also for acceleration, where I had previously fallen short,” says Hanne Desmet. “Now I have the courage to overtake more. I wouldn’t say my racing style has changed, I just feel more confident.”
This is also evident from their results. Hanne Desmet has been on the podium five times in the last four World Cups. She won gold twice in the 1,500 m. In the WB rankings, she is second to the Korean Delli Kim in the 1,500 m and third in the 1,000 m. Also thanks to the absence of Olympic champion Suzanne Schulting, who has not yet fully recovered from a back injury.
© AFP
The World Cup shows that Desmet will be the one to beat at this European Championship. Dutch skaters Xandra Velzeboer and Selma Poutsma are more sprinters. Hanne Desmet is aware of her status as the favorite. “Although this is a new experience for me. It’s the first time I’ve been suggested for this role. I’ll let you know after the weekend if I like it (laughs). But I feel the expectations. I’m not stressing too much about it at the moment. The goal is also to win as much as possible and be in the top three at every distance. But it is and remains short track. A lot can go wrong. I can’t afford any mistakes. I just have to do it now. Otherwise I would be disappointed.”
© BELGIUM
For Stijn Desmet, the tie in 2023 is a much bigger challenge. For men, the European competition is simply greater. At the World Championships he won a medal: silver in the 1,500 m. “And yet I hope to do even better than last year,” he says. “For example, winning gold together with the relay team would be a dream. When I see Hanne win, like last year, it always makes me happy.” Boost. When I see something going wrong, it becomes increasingly difficult for me to concentrate again.” Hanne smiles: “I encourage Stijn. I set the trend.”
Program Hanne and Stijn Desmet at the European Short Track Championships
Friday, January 12th
• Qualifications 500m, 1,000m and 1,500m (men and women)
• Mixed relay quarterfinals
• Men’s quarterfinal relays
Saturday, January 13th
• Final 500 m and 1,500 m (men and women)
• Men’s semi-final relays
Sunday, January 14th
• Semi-finals and finals of the mixed relays
• Final payments men
• 1,000m final (men and women)
© Photo News © AFP
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