Femke Kok (NED) and Chung Jae Won (KOR) will defend their Ladies' and Men's ISU World Junior Speed Skating titles in Tomaszów Mazowiecki this weekend. The reigning champions skipped last week's ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Final to skate at the Senior ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Champions in Salt Lake City. At last year's ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships in in Baselga di Piné (iTA), the Netherlands led the medal table in the Ladies events and the Republic of Korea in the Men's.
Shifting back to sea-level after Salt Lake City
Femke Kok (NED) at the ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)
Last year Kok won both the Allround title and the 1500m single distance title at the ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships. Despite still being eligible in the Junior ranks, the 19-year-old already impressed in the senior ranks too.
With a bronze medal in the 500m at the Dutch national single distance championships, Kok qualified for the ISU European Speed Skating and the ISU World Speed Skating Championships in which she came fourth and ninth respectively. Both times she skated a Junior world record, setting the mark at 37.45 in Salt Lake City last week.
Coming off the fastest ice on the planet at the Utah Olympic Oval, Kok will have to adapt to the sea-level rink in Poland quickly.
Marrit Fledderus (NED) at the ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Final 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
At the ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships the defending champion will have to deal with compatriot Marrit Fledderus (NED) and Moe Kumagai (JPN), who finished first and second in this season's 500m ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating ranking after winning gold and silver at the World Cup Final in Tomaszów Mazowiecki.
Fledderus also won the 1000m ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating, but earlier this season Kok had won the first two races in both the 500m and the 1000m.
Robin Groot (NED) at the ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Final 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
Robin Groot (NED) is the big favorite in the 1500m and the 3000m. Last year, she already took silver in the 3000m behind Ragne Wiklund (NOR), who joined the senior ranks this year. At this year's ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Groot won the first two 1500m races and all three 3000m races.
Lara Peveri (ITA) at the ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Final 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
Laura Peveri (ITA) defends her title in the Ladies' Mass Start event. The Italian secured this season's ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating in this event after coming seventh in the Final in Tomaszów Mazowiecki.
Chung takes sidestep to Junior ranks
Even more than his Dutch female counterpart Kok, Korea's Chung Jae Won already made a name for himself in the senior ranks.
The 18-year-old Korean became the youngest Korean male athlete to win a medal at the Olympic Winter Games, following his silver medal at age 16 and 245 days in Team Pursuit at the 2018 Games in PyeongChang.
Jae Won Chung (KOR) at the ISU Four Continents Cup Speed Skating Championships 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
Chung also won a bronze medal in the Mass Start at last year's Senior ISU World Speed Skating Championships in Inzell. Last week in Salt Lake City he had to settle for eighth place in the Mass Start.
Because of his appearances in the international Senior tournaments this season, Chung did not participate in any ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating events, but he will be present to defend his ISU World Junior Speed Skating title in Tomaszów Mazowiecki.
Sang Hyeok Cho (KOR) at the ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Final 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
Chung's compatriot Cho Sang Hyeok (KOR) dominated the 500m and 1000m in this season's ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating.
Norway's Peder Kongshaug secured the 1500m ISU Junior Word Cup Speed Skating with gold in Tomaszów Mazowiecki and Daniil Aldoshkin (RUS) took the 3000m after winning gold in the Final.
Peder Kongshaug (NOR) at the ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Final 2020©International Skating Union (ISU)
With two ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating victories, Tsubasa Horikawa (JPN) ended on top of the Mass Start ranking. The Japanese youngster has to deal with defending champion Gabriel Odor (AUT), who only skated the 500m and the 1000m at last weekend's ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Final in Minsk.
Tsubasa Horikawa (JPN) at the ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating (NED) 2019©International Skating Union (ISU)
For full entry lists and further information regarding the ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships please visit the Championships Page on ISU.org. Click here for results.
Where to Watch
The event will be streamed live to all fans on the ISU Skating YouTube page. Make sure you subscribe to the channel to receive live stream notifications.
For further information on ISU Speed Skating visit https://www.isu.org/speed-skating. Subscribe to the ISU Newsletter to receive the latest information and follow the conversation with #SpeedSkating.
YouTube: ISU Skating
IG: @isuspeedskating
Facebook: @ISUSpeedSkating
Twitter: @ISU_Speed
