Jordan Stolz (USA) and Angel Daleman (NED) dominated last season’s ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships, each winning four individual gold medals. Stolz went on to win three World Single Distance titles at senior level the following month. And while the 19-year-old American is no longer eligible for the junior championships, Daleman, at 16, is. The Dutchwoman has three more chances for World Junior Championship glory, the first of which is this weekend in Hachinohe City, Japan.
Angel Daleman (NED) on her way to victory in the 500m at last week's ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating in Hachinohe City, Japan © ISU
Daleman and her rivals
In January, Daleman swept all three long-track distances at the Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon (KOR). Having skipped the first two ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating events to fulfill her Short Track ambitions, the Dutch prodigy took it easy at the third and final World Cup of the season last week. She skated in only the 500m and Team Sprint – and won both.
At the ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships – which, like that concluding Junior World Cup event, take place at the YS Arena in Hachinohe City – Daleman will defend her 1000m, 1500m, Mass Start and Allround titles. She will also skate the 500m and the 3000m, in which she took silver and bronze respectively last year. Serena Pergher (ITA), who won last year’s 500m, is no longer eligible at this level, which makes Junior World Cup winner Jung Huidan (KOR) Daleman’s main rival in the shortest distance.
Jung Huidan (KOR) competing in in Hachinohe City, Japan, last week © ISU
Norway’s Aurora Grinden Løvås, who won all three 3000m races in the Junior World Cup this season, is the favorite to take gold in the longest distance this weekend.
Aurora Grinden Løvås (NOR) celebrates her victory in the 3000m at the Junior World Cup in Hachinohe City, Japan © ISU
In the middle distances, Meike Veen (NED) is likely to be Daleman’s main rival after winning the Junior World Cup in both distances.
Henriksen aiming for third consecutive title
The Men’s competition seems to be less lopsided. Finn Sonnekalb (GER) swept all three events at the Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon (KOR) but the 16-year-old has not been equally dominant in the World Cup this season.
Metoděj Jílek (CZE) beat Sonnekalb in the 1500m at the final World Cup last week, but the German did secure the World Cup trophy in the distance.
Can Finn Sonnekalb of Germany take his YOG form into the World Junior Championships? © ISU
Jilek enters the Junior World Championships as a favorite not only in the 1500m but also the Mass Start after seizing the World Cup trophy undefeated.
Sigurd Henriksen (NOR) hopes to complete a triple in the 5000m having won the World Junior title in the longest distance in 2022 and 2023. The Norwegian long-distance specialist managed to beat Jilek in the 3000m last weekend, but the Czech went home with the 3000m Junior World Cup trophy.
Sigurd Henriksen (NOR) pictured with his 5000m gold medal at the 2023 World Junior Championships in Inzell, Germany © ISU
The Men’s short distances are Asian territory. Issa Gunji (JPN) won this season’s World Cup trophy in the 1000m ahead of Korea’s Kyungmin Koo, who took the 500m with his Japanese rival in second place.
Issa Gunji (left, JPN) and Koo Kyungmin (center, KOR) with Mats van den Bos (NED) following the 500m at the ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating in Hachinohe City, Japan © ISU
Program
The ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships commence with the 500m, 1500m and Mass Start semifinals for both genders on Friday. The Saturday program features the 1000m for both genders, the Women’s 3000m for and the Men’s 5000m, and on Sunday both genders compete in the Team Pursuit, Team Sprint and Mass Start finals.
Further information on the ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships is available here.
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