Short Track Speed Skating fans who want to determine the health of their sport – as well as earmark potential future Champions – always watch the ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships with interest.
Team Netherlands, Team China and Team Korea at the ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating (CAN) 2018©International Skating Union (ISU)
The likes of Suzanne Schulting (NED), Choi Min Jeong (KOR), Shaoang Liu (HUN) and Lee June Seo (KOR) have all showcased their potential at past ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships.
Xandra Velzeboer (NED) at the ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
At 2020’s event in Bormio, Italy, it was a Dutch girl and a Korean boy that perhaps made the best case for becoming ‘ones to watch’.
Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands has already been making a mark on the Senior scene, joining the likes of Schulting on the Dutch Ladies’ 3000m Relay team.
Xandra Velzeboer (NED) at the ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
In Italy, she showed that she could soon be a Senior contender. Velzeboer looked mature beyond her years in the 500m, winning gold ahead of Florence Brunelle (CAN) and Corinne Stoddard (USA).
Velzeboer was also part of the Dutch team that won the Ladies’ 3000m Relay in 4 minutes, 12.019 seconds – an impressive Junior World Record. With a world-class training set-up in Heerenveen, overseen by coach Jeroen Otter, it suggests many more happy days to come for the team in orange.
Georgie Dalrymple (NED), Anne Floor Otter (NED), Xandra Velzeboer (NED) and Marijn Wiersma (NED) at the ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
For now, Republic of Korea remain at the sport’s apex. Kim Geonhee, already a Senior Ladies’ 1500m ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating winner, won over the same distance in Bormio.
Lee Jeongmin (KOR) at the ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
In the Men’s racing, meanwhile, Koreans took three of the four gold medals. Kim Taesung (KOR) won the 1500m in style but Lee Jeongmin (KOR) perhaps put in the standout performance of the weekend.
Lee Jeongmin (KOR) at the ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
Lee, quite simply, is lightning-fast – and won the 500m at a stretch. Direct from becoming 500m Champion at the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympic Games, he looks capable of stepping up into the Senior team soon.
Hyunjin Ahn (KOR), Sungwoo Jang (KOR), Taesung Kim (KOR) and Jeongmin Lee (KOR) at the ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
The pair then combined with Ahn Hyunjun and Jang Sungwoo to shatter the Junior World Record in the Men’s 3000m Relay, finishing in 3:55.494.
The Netherlands challenge is coming, however: it will be fascinating to see which nation wins the most medals over the next few years.
