The 500 meters was Stijn Desmet‘s last game at these Winter Games. The competition in his quarterfinals was not less. Desmet got a two-time world champion in the 500 meters with South Korean Hwang Dae-Heon, Russian Konstantin Ivlijev is the reigning European champion.
But Desmet shot off like a rocket from the start and settled in the tracks of the Russian Ivlijev, who rushed to the head. So for a while it looked good for Desmet, but the Kazak Abzal Azhgaliyev sped through the middle of the race and also stopped Desmet on the final lap.
Hwang took advantage of this in the last corner, the South Korean was second behind Ivlijev and Desmet was no longer in front of his Kazakh competitor. For Stijn Desmet the end point at these Winter Games.
A disappointed Stijn Desmet realized after the race that there was more to it after his great start. “It comes down to the little things. It didn’t go as it should, largely because of my own fault,” he said. “That sucks.”
“My start was very good. I had hoped that I could win one place at the start, although I knew it wouldn’t be easy. I didn’t train much on my start. But I do know I’m on a good start. day can make a very good start. I went all out and that start was a perfect start.”
“I did click knives with that Hungarian when overtaking and then it immediately felt a bit crazy. My left knife didn’t really turn anymore and I started skating very restlessly. I know that I can handle the speed of the Russian, but I managed not to relax and go skating normally.”
“I continued to skate carelessly and restlessly and because of that I gave some space and I could be overtaken. And then the speed of both of us went out. I was stuck and the Korean still slips through. That is very nicely done of him. But for I am very sorry. I wanted to continue, but that was not given to me today. That is also part of it.”
The Winter Games are now over for Desmet. How does he return home? “I didn’t get the most out of it. I did do good things, but at times I showed too little and I think that’s a shame. I can continue to work with that in the coming years.”
“Over the whole of the Games, I will get a lot out of Hanne’s medal. And I will also get a lot out of Hanne’s next medal,” he says with a wink. “That way it worked.”
