Silver medal just the beginning for Canada’s ambitious short track speed skating team

Canada’s short track speed skating team isn’t hiding its ambitions. 

They’ve set their sights on seven medals at Milano Cortina 2026, which would surpass the country’s single Olympic Winter Games record of six in short track, achieved at Salt Lake City 2002. And things got off to a strong start on Tuesday, as the athletes wearing the maple leaf captured silver in the mixed relay.

Six skaters contributed to what is hoped will be the first podium finish of many in short track. Kim Boutin, Courtney Sarault, William Dandjinou and Félix Roussel skated in the final, while Florence Brunelle and Steven Dubois took part in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively.

For Boutin, now a five-time Olympic medallist and the most decorated Canadian female short track speed skater in Olympic history, the medal carried special meaning. It was the first Olympic medal of her career earned in a team event.

Perfectly capturing the ambition driving Canada’s short track athletes, Boutin acknowledged that gold was the goal, but said the team was proud of a performance that resulted in silver. 

“I’m proud of my team. It gives me wings. This is just the beginning,” she said.

Head coach Marc Gagnon, himself a five-time Olympic medallist, echoed her sentiment. He emphasized that every time his athletes step on the ice, they aim for the top. 

“Everyone is aiming for gold. That’s how we build our team,” Gagnon said. “We’ve set very high goals over the past two years, and we have very ambitious ones here. Is it a problem to finish second today? Absolutely not.”

READ: How team spirit propelled Canada to the top of short track speed skating

Italy, led in part by Arianna Fontana—now the owner of 12 Olympic medals—proved untouchable in the final, holding the lead throughout, likely buoyed by the home crowd.

For Boutin, trust among teammates was the key to success. “We’ve been working toward this medal for so long. We were really united. That’s what I loved most,” she said.

That trust was something Roussel felt deeply. 

“I found out I was skating in the final 10 minutes before,” said Roussel, who is competing in his first Olympic Games. He hadn’t expected the assignment. 

“The guys [Dubois and Dandjinou] skated really well in the semifinal, so I thought they’d go with the same two. Then Marc [Gagnon] came up to me and told me I was skating the final. I said, ‘Are you sure? The other two were really strong.’ He said, ‘Yes, you’re going.’ It was a lot of pressure, but no one on the team ever made me feel like they doubted me.”

A native of Sherbrooke, Que., Roussel remembers watching Boutin win three medals at  PyeongChang 2018. “And now to win one with her, it’s incredible,” he said.

For Brunelle, the team’s cohesion helped her regain confidence and move past painful memories from Beijing 2022, where she fell in the mixed relay final. After receiving a penalty, Canada finished sixth.

“I’m still trying to process my emotions, but it’s definitely a big relief,” Brunelle said. “What’s most meaningful is having the chance to compete alongside people we care about, people we appreciate, and with whom we’ve put in the work over the past few years. That’s what’s most special to me. We really want to grow together.”

That sense of unity may best explain the ambition and potential of this team. Their talent goes beyond skating the fastest laps possible; it also lies in how each member helps the others be the best they can be.

Short track speed skating events are only just getting underway at these Games, and Canada’s athletes have never given us more reason to be excited about what’s still to come.