Stijn Desmet has taken 13th place in the 1,500 m short track. The 23-year-old short tracker finished third in the B-final, with a 5th place in his semi-final, an A-final was not in it. “I gave everything, but the semi-finals didn’t turn out in my favor.”
Stijn Desmet’s day started with the quarterfinals. After an alert race at the front he finished fourth outside the required top 3. Because he was hindered at the end by the Italian topper Pietro Sighel, the Belgian was allowed to participate in 3rd, the Italian was disqualified.
In the 1,000m heats it was the other way around: Desmet was then disqualified because he allegedly hindered Sighel.
In the first of 3 semifinals, Desmet started 7th and last. In a race without incident, he was able to work his way up to 5th place, but that was all he could do.
Only the top 2 of each semi-final and 1 best third advanced to the A-final. Due to the many incidents in the 2nd and 3rd semi-finals, 4 extra men were fished for the A-final. The numbers 3 to 5 of Desmet’s semi-final were allowed to go to the B-final.
Desmet resolutely took the lead in this. He kept everyone behind for a long time, but in the end the Russian Denis Airapetian shot past our compatriot. The Hungarian John-Henry Krüger overtook the Belgian and the Russian with a quick final lap.
Stijn Desmet skates the series of the 500 meters on Friday.
South Korean Hwang takes gold
South Korea on top of the Olympic 1,500 meters in the men. For the 4th time in 6 Olympic Games, a Korean took the gold: today that honor went to Hwang Daeheon.
The A-final consisted of 10 men. Canadian Steven Dubois, who fell in the semi-finals but was caught by a mistake by Sjinkie Knegt, put his foot out just far enough for silver. The Russian Semen Elistratov took bronze, just like in 2018.
Watch Stijn Desmet’s B-final:
Watch the A-final of 1,500 meters:
Stijn Desmet after B-final: “Give everything, but can always do better”
Desmet had some mixed feelings after his 13th place: “It can always be better, but I don’t feel bad about it. I’m happy that I got to drive 3 races and that it wasn’t done as quickly as in the 1,000m. “
“I gave everything. In the semi-finals it just didn’t happen. That ride didn’t go in my favor and then I notice that I lack some strength and substance to participate for the A-final.”
A bacterial infection on his leg disrupted Desmet’s preparation for Beijing.
“I should have been able to win the B-final, but when the Russian overtook I let myself stop a bit. If I ride my lines optimally and pay attention a little better, I keep that Russian behind me and won. That’s a shame. “
The 500 awaits Friday, just like with sister Hanne, that is not his favorite number. “But I’m going to try to force something. Hanne did very well with some luck (she became 5th, ed.). That gives confidence and I want to imitate.”
Watch the semi-final of Stijn Desmet:
Watch the quarterfinals of Stijn Desmet:
| program by Stijn Desmet | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 5 February | series 1,000 meters | disqualification | report |
| Wednesday 9 February | quarterfinals | 3rd (to HF) | report |
| Wednesday 9 February | half finals | 5th (to B-final) | report |
| Wednesday 9 February | B-final | 3º (13º all-around) | report |
| Friday 11 February | series 500 meters | ||
| Sunday 13 February | quarter-finals, semi-finals and final 500 meters (possibly) | ||
