Milan, February 16, 2025 – The Europe Today: Chinese speed skater Sun Long secured the gold medal in the men’s 500 meters at the 2024-2025 ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Tour Milan leg, clocking 40.777 seconds in the final on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Chinese women’s team clinched a bronze medal in the 3,000m relay race.
Serving as a test event for the upcoming Milan 2026 Winter Olympics, the competition in Milan has drawn significant attention from all participating teams. In the absence of Lin Xiaojun, who had earlier won gold in the 500m and silver in the 1,500m at the Winter Asian Games in Harbin before withdrawing from the season due to injury, China fielded nearly all of its top skaters for this crucial event.
Men’s 500m Final: Sun Long Takes the Lead
In the men’s 500m final, Sun Long took an early lead and maintained his position to secure victory. Dutch skater Teun Boer claimed the silver, while local favorite Pietro Sighel of Italy finished third, earning the bronze medal.
Men’s 1,500m: Dutch Skater Van’T Wout Claims Victory
In the men’s 1,500m final, Jens Van’T Wout of the Netherlands executed a strategic late surge in the final laps to secure the gold medal. Japan’s Hayashi Kosei finished second, while South Korea’s Jang Sung-woo took bronze.
Despite their dominant performance at the recent Winter Asian Games, South Korean skaters struggled in Milan, with Jang’s bronze in the 1,500m being their only podium finish of the day. The team cited fatigue and limited recovery time as the main challenges affecting their performance.
Women’s 1,000m: Team USA Dominates
In the women’s 1,000m final, Team USA delivered an impressive performance, with Kristen Santos-Griswold taking gold and Corinne Stoddard securing silver. Italy’s Elisa Confortola overcame a mid-race fall to fight back and clinch the bronze medal.
Women’s 3,000m Relay: The Netherlands Triumphs
In the women’s 3,000m relay final, the Dutch team demonstrated exceptional teamwork, narrowly defeating Italy, who settled for silver. The Chinese quartet of Fan Kexin, Wang Xinran, Zang Yize, and Zhang Chutong put up a strong performance to secure the bronze medal.
As the Milan 2026 Winter Olympics draw closer, the ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Tour in Milan has provided valuable insights into the form and strategies of top contenders, setting the stage for an exciting season ahead.
