In the end Kristen Santos-Griswold (USA) could only applaud the brilliance of her young rival after 19-year-old Kim Gilli (KOR) powered to her first ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Crystal Globe on a high-stakes final day in Gdansk, Poland.
Kim Gilli receives her first Crystal Globe at the final World Cup of the season in Gdansk, Poland © ISU
Both in the Hala Olivia Arena and throughout the season, Santos-Griswold did all she could, but Kim was not to be denied.
The Korean started the final day of 2023/24 World Cup action with a 51-point lead and knew she could not let anything slip as she and Santos-Griswold went head-to-head in the 1000m.
Kristen Santos-Griswold (right) lines up in the 1000m final at the World Cup in Gdansk, Poland © ISU
Head-to-head until the end
The drama was ratcheted up even further by the fact they were drawn together in the same quarter-final heat. With two laps of that race to go, the 29-year-old American challenged Kim’s nerves as she put the hammer down. But the teenager was more than up to it, calmly following her rival to the finish line.
Kim was similarly serene in her semi-final, despite the presence of Santos-Griswold’s fast-rising teammate Corinne Stoddard (USA) and double 1000m Olympic Champion Suzanne Schulting (NED). In the end her progress through to the final meant that even Santos-Griswold’s stunning effort to win her third 1000m title of the season was not enough to claim the trophy they all wanted.
Kristen Santos-Griswold celebrates her 1000m title win in Gdansk, Poland © Getty Images
Two outstanding seasons
“She’s an amazing racer and her tactics, I mean, they’re out of this world,” said Santos-Griswold who finished ahead of Kim in silver with Stoddard taking bronze.
“Knowing that she is so good at racing, I was just hoping that I could get that overall 1000m (title) today. Obviously, I can’t complain with the season I’ve had.”
Claiming her first-ever 500m and 1500m World Cup titles, alongside three 1000m wins confirms that it has indeed been a remarkable season for Santos-Griswold.
It is just that Kim’s has been even better.
Kim Gilli in action at the final World Cup of the season in Gdansk, Poland © Getty Images
“I can’t describe how I feel, I am so happy. My goal was to be number one, I was just not sure it would happen,” the Korean superstar said.
Four victories in the 1500m and three in the 1000m means her next aim is no great surprise.
“My goal now is a gold in the World Championships,” she said, before adding with a smile, “Or maybe more than one.”
Sprint sensation
While Kim and Santos-Griswold’s distance battles at the looming World Championships in Rotterdam (15-17 March) are not to be missed – with Schulting and Hanne Desmet (BEL) also primed to challenge – the women’s sprint is set to be an undoubted home ice highlight.
All season the Dutch speedsters Xandra Velzeboer and Selma Poutsma have gone head-to-head with thrilling results. And it was no different on Sunday.
Selma Poutsma and Xandra Velzeboer claimed a 1-2 for Netherlands in the final 500m in Gdansk, Poland © ISU
After watching Poutsma grab the lead in the overall standings by winning the 500m (1) on Saturday, Velzeboer then had to react to her teammate darting out in front in the final of the 500m (2) despite not having the inside track advantage.
“Of course I wanted to get to the first position, that’s always the goal if you are in the first spot but she was too fast for me. So, then I had to do it another way,” said Velzeboer who swept past a tiring Poutsma on the final lap to claim a fifth 500m win of the season from six starts.
Korean Shim Suk Hee took bronze.
“She (Velzeboer) is technically so smooth, and she has more power in the last two laps and she just flies over me,” a somewhat exasperated Poutsma said, having finished second for the fourth time this season and given up the No.1 spot in the rankings.
“I really have to do something better in the last two laps because that’s always where I lose it.”
Xandra Velzeboer celebrates her victory in the 500m at the final World Cup of the season in Gdansk, Poland © ISU
Five in a row
Before embarking on efforts to close the gap on her friend, the two orange-clad stars teamed up to win yet another Women’s World Cup Relay – the Netherlands’ fifth in a row.
“It’s really good to finish the season like this,” Velzeboer said after Korea were relegated to second with the USA third. She then issued a warning for any rival teams eyeing up World Championship revenge.
“Of course, that (the 2024 World Championships) is the big goal for this season, we will go back, prepare ourselves to be our best in Rotterdam, but I think we already did a lot of great work.”
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