Day 3 in Oostende: 500m, 1000m, relays

Colombians, Bart Swings, and (almost) the rest of the world!

500m – 1000m – Relay, what a hard day!

The day started with the 500M-sprint races, the relay took place in the afternoon, and the 1000M came at the end, at night.

500m results

Junior ladies category : Colombia number one (and two) again!

It is quite easy to sum up Colombians’ results in this category since Colombians won all the races. They got the two first places in the 500M-sprint with Andrea Montoya and Yuliana Garces before Venezuelan Yarubi Bandres.

Junior men : Colombia…

Colombia came first with Edwin Estrada (COL) in the 500m-sprint, before the local Mathias Voste (BEL) and German Simon Albrecht (GER), who both benefited from Korean Park Geon Woo‘s disqualification.

Senior ladies category

It is again almost all about Colombia!  Andrea Segura and Yersi Puello (who had broken the World record in her 1/4 final) started their day by winning the 500m-sprint before Erin Jackson who grabbed the first medal of the USA.

Senior men

Many people could have bet on the two first places of the 500M-sprint considering that Pedro Causil (COL) and Andres Munoz (COL) were on the starting line. But that was without counting on the crash of the first one, in the very first lap after having been bumped into by Italian Danny Sargoni. Munoz could then quite easily grab a new gold medal in 41”056, just before Lo Weilin (China Taipei) and the Italian Danny Sargoni.
Andres Muñoz (COL, 40,270 seconds) and Weilin Lo (TPE, 40,114 seconds) broke the World record during the quarterfinals and semifinals. 

Relays

Junior ladies

 In the relay, Colombia won before South Korea and Belgium in a race during which Belgium supporters probably believed for a few seconds in their team’s victory while Sandrine Tas (BEL) had suddenly passed Colombia in one of the last relays.

Junior men category

 Colombia won almost all the races, except for the relay, at the end of which it was passed at the last second. Indeed, that race was absolutely crazy until the very last millimeter: Venezuela, thanks to an incredible sprint and hawk finish, “beat the unbeatable” Colombians! You could feel the emotion of the Venezuelans, very proud to have achieved their dream…

Senior women

 In the relay, the Colombian trio won, almost with no surprises, just before the Taiwanese and the Chinese who kicked, thanks to Guo Dan’s amazing agility and speed, Italia out of the podium.

Senior men

 In the relay, Belgium, France, Colombia, Italy, the USA and South Korea qualified for the final. It started really fast and at mid-race, the spectators hold their breath when South Korea and Colombia fell down. Belgium almost fell down but avoided the worst scenario. The incident allowed France and Italy to make the difference ahead. In the two last laps, France was ahead, ready to win its first title of the Championship, but SUPER BART was not far! Within two relays, he managed to catch up France and Italy. The local hero finally passed Gwendal Le Pivert (FRA) at the end of the last corner. Italy (2^nd) and France (3^rd) completed the podium.

1000m: a great Bart Swings and a new World record

Junior ladies

 On the 1000m, in order not to change their habits, Colombia took the gold, and the silver medals! Hellen Montoya (COL) takes gold ahead of her teammate Stephanie Hurtado (COL). Korean Yu Ga Ram (KOR) is third. 

Junior men: Colombia catchs silver and gold

 Colombia grabbed the two first places on the 1000m… Once again! Andres Jimenes (COL) and Andres Campo (COL) double the bet before Taiwanese Chao Tsucheng (TPE).

Senior women: Colombia strikes again

 Last, but not least, Paolo Segura (COL) took the Gold in the 1000m, before Taiwanese Yuting Huang (TPE) and Italian Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA).

Senior men: Bart Swings in a great shape

 First, Belgium’s Bart Swings skated to a world record of 1:20.9 in the semi final.
For the final race of the day, which also was the last race on the track of the Worlds, skaters decided to deliver an amazing show to the large public present here in Zandvoorde. What an impressive level on the start line! Two French skaters (Alexis Contin and Ewen Fernandez), two Belgian athletes (Bart Swings and Jore Van den Berghe), the colombian star Pedro Causil, the Spanish Paxti Peula, the Dutch Mark Horsten and the KoreanChoi Gwang Ho…
Thus, after six false starts (including four for technical reasons), Bart Swings immediately took the lead followed by the Colombians and the French skaters. The Belgium stayed in the front during the whole race. Despite Alexis Contin’s efforts, SUPER BART won again, just before the two French skaters, Alexis Contin and Ewen Ewen Fernandez. Pedro Causil (COL) is fourth.

The track races are over, time for the road now!

Main results

By Alfathor
Photos: mediaskates.com