Steven Dubois underlined his status as Short Track Speed Skating’s undisputed sprint king by flying to another major 500m title on Saturday, as the 2026 ISU CNSG Short Track World Championships started in exactly the style the capacity crowd wanted in Montreal. 

Nothing could stop the Canadian from adding a second successive World Championship gold to the Olympic crown he won just a few weeks ago: not a top-quality field and not – to even his surprise – illness. 

“I got the Games (gold) and it was a big high for me, and then I came a little bit back down to earth,” he said. 

“I got sick two times in a row coming back from the Games. But I got here today, the crowd was super-hyped, and I guess I really got my title this year of fastest man in the world.”

Steven Dubois celebrates his 500m victory at the ISU CNSG Short Track World Championships in Montreal on Saturday © Getty Images

Finishing ahead of silver medallist Jens van ’t Wout was quite an achievement. Like Dubois, the Dutchman has been struggling with illness since his star turns at the Olympic Games, and while he found a series of stunning passes to move from fifth to second during the 500m final, he never truly threatened the champion. 

The same could not be said of Saturday’s other men's gold medalist. The Republic of Korea’s Rim Jongun was never in front until it really mattered, and the 18-year-old took the 1500m title to put yet more gloss on what has been a breathtaking debut season. 

Dubois defies sickness

Dubois and Rim are at opposite ends of their career, and while the Korean has already proven himself a worthy champion, he will no doubt be studying the Canadian's raw pace.

Dubois started on the inside in his quarterfinal, semifinal and final, hitting the first corner in the lead and never giving his opponents a chance. 

The feat was made all the more remarkable by the extent of the 28-year-old’s sickness. 

“Honestly, after the quarterfinal, I had lost my edge and I was sharpening the blade and I got like a heat wave over my head and started feeling really sick. I had cold sweats and I felt really weird,” Dubois said. “So, I lay down for a bit. Then when I got back up I had something to eat – two packets of candy and a fruit compote.” 

That may well become the mid-race diet of choice for athletes around the globe, given how well Dubois performed the rest of the day. Silver medal winner van ’t Wout was certainly impressed.

Jens van 't Wout took 500m silver on Saturday at the ISU CNSG Short Track World Championships in Montreal © Getty Images

“Crazy the way he races these 500m and the absolute acceleration he has. It is unmatched and time after time again,” the Dutchman said. 

“I knew him starting at one, I was not going to get there. It’s too far. I wasn’t expecting to beat him, but I am really happy for him because he’s so strong in the 500m. In my opinion, he deserves to be world champion.”

Van ’t Wout was quite happy to finish second to the Canadian, especially with the 1000m – one of the distances in which he won Olympic gold just a few weeks ago – to come. 

Furkan Akar sent his supporters wild, winning Turkey a superb bronze.

Furkan Akar of Turkey raced to bronze in the 500m final at the ISU CNSG Short Track World Championships in Montreal © Getty Images

Rim swoops to 1500m glory

Van ’t Wout did not line up for the 1500m, due to his recent illness, and the Dutchman missed another cracker. 

The final had the capacity crowd on its feet throughout, especially given it looked like William Dandjinou was going to give his fans just what they wanted. Out of trouble at the front in a race featuring eight skaters, the ISU World Tour No.1 seemingly took control with four laps to go. 

But then disaster struck. As a host of challengers gathered behind him, Dandjinou made an uncharacteristic error with three laps to go and hit the ice. As the shocked field fought to take advantage, it was Rim who struck. Flying up from fifth to first in the final half-lap, the Korean grabbed his first world title.

Rim Jongun won 1500m at the ISU CNSG Short Track World Championships in Montreal on Saturday © Getty Images

Australia’s Brendan Corey crossed the line in second but was later penalised for a lane change, allowing Thomas Nadalini to take silver and Stijn Desmet to snatch bronze. 

There was no doubt the headline belonged to Rim and his remarkable race plan. 

“I had prepared that strategy for the Olympic 1500m race but wasn’t able to execute it then,” Rim said. “This time at the World Championships though, I’m happy and satisfied that I could make it work, staying at the back and then overtaking on the outside.”

Two ISU World Tour titles, an Olympic silver and bronze and now a World title: not bad for a teenager in his first year competing at the elite level. 

Like Rim, Nadalini is also in the midst of a dreamy couple of months, having added world silver to the Olympic mixed relay gold and men’s relay bronze he won in front of his home crowd in Milan.

Thomas Nadalini took silver on Saturday at the ISU CNSG Short Track World Championships in Montreal © Getty Images

“Looking back at last season I could never have expected this,” the Italian said. “I feel lucky I have been surrounded by people who care about me. Without them, I wouldn’t be here.” 

For Desmet, bronze confirmed his enviable big-game temperament. Despite having not won an individual ISU World Tour medal over the past two seasons, the Belgian now has five individual World Championship medals, plus an Olympic relay bronze. 

“I like to train and sometimes I overdo it throughout the season, but now I know there’s nothing left to train for so I take rest more seriously,” Desmet said, with a smile.

Stijn Desmet picked up the fifth World Championship medal of his career on Saturday, taking 1500m bronze in Montreal © Getty Images

Both Desmet and Nadalini had a chance at more glory on the day, reaching the 500m final. That feat proved beyond Dandjinou, the undisputed world No.1 in each of the past two seasons, who was relegated to the B final. 

“I think right now it’s mentally quite hard for him,” Dubois said of his friend. “We’re going to need to find a way to look after him tomorrow.” 

Dubois and his teammates tried to do just that, powering through a tricky 5000m relay semifinal to reach Sunday’s shootout. That, along with the 1000m and the mixed relay, will offer Dandjinou a chance of redemption.