Despite the lack of traditional short track powerhouses like China and South Korea, the 2021 Short Track Speed Skating World Championships in Dordrecht, Netherlands are providing plenty of thrills the first competition day with Olympic champion Suzanne Schulting taking double gold on Saturday.
In the first final of the day, the home star Schulting took the lead in the 1500m race with five laps to go and maintained that position till the very end.
It was Netherlands' very first ladies world title on home soil for their 5-time World Short Track Championships hosting experience.
Schulting went on to take victory again in the 500m, crossing the line in 42.661s ahead of PyeongChang Winter Olympics' 500m gold medalist Arianna Fontana of Italy (42.719s).
She was overcome by emotion at taking the title, a goal she has set for herself after the tragic death of her teammate Lara van Ruijven last July.
Van Ruijven won the 500m title at the 2019 World Championships and was also a member of the Dutch 3,000m relay team that won bronze at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Suzanne Schulting reacts after winning the ladies 500m final at the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Dordrecht, Netherlands, March 6, 2021. /CFP
"I really wanted to become world champion in the 500m to make sure we kept the title within the Dutch team. That really was my main goal this season, and I am super, super proud of it," Schulting said after the race.
Schulting won Netherlands' first ever Olympic gold medal in short track speed skating in Pyeongchang at the mere age of 20 years old.
With her two new world titles on Saturday, the 23-year-old has now six World Championships gold to her name.
In the men's events, Liu Shaoang from Hungary clinched his maiden world title in the 500m race.
The gold added to the 22-year-old's five previous podium finishes, who was part of Hungary's 5000m gold winning team at PyeongChang.
Five-time Olympic medalist Canadian Charles Hamelin came on top in the 1500m race.
"I didn't know how long I would continue, but I hoped for the next Olympics," said Hamelin who was 500m Olympic champion at Vancouver 2010 and 1500m gold medalist at Sochi 2014.
"To win the 1,500m is the first big step to show what I can do next year."
(With input from Xinhua News Agency)
(Cover image: Suzanne Schulting at the ISU World Short Track Championships in Dordrecht, Netherlands, March 6, 2021. /CFP)