China's Lin Xiaojun celebrates winning the gold medal in the men's 500 meters final at the World Championships at Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam, Netherlands, March 16, 2024. /CFP
As one of the world's most accomplished speed skaters, Lin Xiaojun had always carried a burden in his heart.
In the 2019 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Sofia, at the pinnacle of his career, he outshone his competitors and clinched the gold in every men's individual event except the 500 meters. In the subsequent tournaments, Lin's skills remained exceptional, yet he continuously fell short of capturing the coveted 500m gold.
As this year's World Championships shifted to Rotterdam, few believed that Lin could rectify the regret he had carried for so long. After all, Lin's form this season has been lackluster due to lingering injuries, resulting in no individual gold medals to his name in the World Cups. Last month, he even returned empty-handed from the National Winter Games of China.
China's Lin Xiaojun lead in the pack in the men's 500 meters final at the World Championships at Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam, Netherlands, March 16, 2024. /CFP
However, fate has a way of working its magic. Just when all odds seemed stacked against Lin, the 27-year-old suddenly defied expectations and secured the 500m world title he had long yearned for.
In the electrifying final on Saturday night, Lin launched from the inside lane and took the lead right from the start. Maintaining his composure under intense pressure, he firmly held his position, leaving no room for his adversaries to challenge him.
The race then took an unexpected twist as two of the pre-race favorites, European 500m champion Pietro Sighel and Steven Dubois, both suffered unfortunate falls without any contact. Their misfortunes cleared the path for Lin to cross the finish line first in 41.592 seconds.
As he triumphed in the 500m event, Lin finally achieved the incredible feat of winning gold medals in all individual events of the World Championships.
China's Sun Long reacts after winning the gold medal in the men's 1500 meters final at the World Championships at Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam, Netherlands, March 16, 2024. /CFP
Earlier in the day, Lin's compatriot Sun Long hit a significant landmark in his career by clinching his first individual world title in the gripping men's 1500m final. The stage was set for a thrilling battle between defending champion Hwang Dae-heon and top-ranked skater Park Ji-won, both displaying exceptional form and poised to claim the top two spots.
Yet in their fierce duel for the podium positions, Hwang's aggressive move took Park out of contention. Unfortunately for Hwang, his tactic resulted in a penalty, opening the door for Sun to seize the moment and secure a dramatic victory. It also marked China's 100th gold medal at the World Championships.
Sun, in a candid post-race interview, revealed that the course of the race unfolded precisely as he and his coach had envisioned. "My coach had devised a detailed plan for the final, and it turned out to be very effective," observed Sun. "We thoroughly analyzed every racer in the final and formulated a strategy that greatly benefited me. We had anticipated the possibility of the leading Korean skater encountering a crash, and our preparations paid off."