Belgian ice skater Bart Swings (33) renewed his world title in the mass start event at the World Speed Skating Championships in Calgary, Canada, on Saturday. The reigning Olympic champion finished the final ahead of Canada's Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu and Switzerland's Livio Wenger
Swings was in control of the race for much of the way, but with three laps to go Frenchman Timothy Loubineaud turned on him. "I knew he was strong, he rode a good five kilometres," Swings analysed afterwards. "I had planned my attack 700 metres from the finish. But the situation of the race left me no choice". It turned out to be a very long sprint.
After crossing the line first, the emotions were the same as after his gold medal in the mass start at the Beijing Winter Olympics (2022). "I haven't been able to process it yet. I dreamt of this moment when I didn't have this medal around my neck. I knew what I could do on this track and in this moment."
"I haven't been able to process it yet. I dreamt of this moment when I didn't have this medal around my neck"
Canada's Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu and Switzerland's Livio Wenger, who finished second and third respectively, were also emotional after the race. "I was beaten by probably the best mass start runner of all time," said Wenger. Gélinas-Beauliueu, who had not been able to skate for a year, could hardly believe his luck in front of thousands of enthusiastic compatriots.
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