Rampaging Vikings, mythical dragons, feisty birds: new Short Track identities are a hit among athletes 

Among the new innovations for the Short Track World Tour are powerful new team identities – including completely redesigned racing suits with different colours and mascots. They’re dynamic, bold, and help capture the national symbols and competitive spirit of each country. But what do the athletes think of the outfits they helped create and inspire? Time to find out…

Sean McAnuff, Irish Wolfhounds 

McAnuff is one of the most popular men on the rink – partly thanks to the constant presence of his dog Maple: everyone is happy to see his return from injury. “It’s great to be back on the circuit, I can feel my endurance gains returning,” he says. “I want to be consistently finishing in that top 32.” Canada-born McAnuff is proud of his Irish heritage. “The ginger beard gives it away – my dad’s family is Irish, and I’ve got dual citizenship.” He has helped spread the sport in the Emerald Isle with regular camps. “I’m proud to wear the Irish suit, like a big green bean,” he adds. “I’m the guy at the rink with the dog so I was pumped to see the wolfhound logo, which looks a bit like Maple. They’re a calm, obedient breed but aggressive, too.”

Abzal Azhgaliyev, Kazakhstan Nomads 

Azhgaliyev is a trailblazer for Kazakh Short Track – he was their first ever World Cup gold medal winner, back in 2016. He feels their team identity perfectly matches his nation and his life. “Kazakh people are nomads, and if you come to our country you will still see a lot of horses, it is a national symbol, we love them,” he says. “Horses are strong and fast. And as skaters we are nomads too, we travel all over the world, so it works well for us.” Azhgaliyev is glad to be back on the road, ready to skate like the wind. “I’ve been out for a year and a half, so I am enjoying every race.”

Pietro Sighel, Italian Gladiators: “We are ready for a big couple of seasons”

It’s a big couple of years for Short Track in Italy, with all the world’s racers building up to the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. “Everyone is excited for it in Italy, so we all want to do our best,” says Pietro Sighel, who will be one of their key hopes for a home gold medal. With the arena set, can their new Gladiator suit bring them courage, determination, and glory. “I hope so, I like the design, it is really nice,” says Sighel. “I wouldn’t say I feel like a gladiator out there – I just feel like the same Pietro. But we are ready for a big couple of seasons.”

Michal Niewinski, Polish Hussars 

21-year-old Niewinski has charged into the Short Track spotlight recently – winning a brilliant bronze in the 500m at the debut Short Track World Tour event in Montreal, and he is certainly feeling the power of his military-inspired outfit, “I really like the uniform, and I love our symbol – the Hussars are the best ever cavalry in the world,” he says. “They were unstoppable, for more than 100 years they never lost a battle. So it is a very strong, symbol, I am proud to wear it and proud to get medals in it.”

Petra Jaszapati, Hungarian Falcons: “They attack, rather than getting chased” 

Petra Jaszapati is returning from a year out (“it was tough watching on the TV rather than being here”) and is a big fan of the new Hungarian identity. “I think it is really cool and it makes things more fun,” she said. “They asked us athletes which animal we’d like to identify with, and we wanted the falcon. It’s a traditional Hungarian animal dating way back to our first king.” It feels personal, she adds. “It is ours. Falcons are quick, and they attack rather than being chased. We’ve got a massive falcon statue in Budapest. But all the suits are cool – I really like the Norwegian Vikings, too.”

Lou Zhanshou, Hong Kong Qilins: “This is a miracle animal”

Hong Kong’s mythical animal emblem is going to help them conjure up some magic on the ice, reckons their racer Lou Zhanshou. “I really like the qilin on the suit, it looks fantastic,” he says. “In Hong Kong, this is a lucky, magical animal. It is similar to a Chinese Loong, it represents good luck, and having a happy fortune.” Lou has had a pleasing start to the season, so maybe it is rubbing off already. “We like the design of the suit, it is modern and beautiful. This is a miracle animal, so it is perfect for us.”

Pauliina Klevstuen, Norwegian Vikings 

Klevstuen, a former dancer, is new to the Short Track circuit after taking up the sport six years ago – inspired by her Olympian father and skater brother. She’s part of a new drive to promote the sport in Norway, a traditional winter sport powerhouse where snow is usually preferred to ice. “Short Track is just not a big sport in Norway, but we are building it back now – it was almost dead,” she says. Having a cool suit about will certainly help. “I think it is the best one of them all, the Vikings,” she says. “Vikings are special for Norway, I love the logo – and it fits with Short Track, we will fight and be aggressive. Norway needs to do that, and win, to grow the sport.” 

Theo Collins, British Royals 

It’s been a while since Team GB bagged any major medals in Short Track, but Theo Collins hopes the British Royals can be back in the mix for crowns soon. “I like our logo, we as athletes had a big part in coming up with the branding,” he says. “We want to be aggressive and take on the racing, so hopefully the fans back home like the logo, that is the most important thing. This new Short Track World Tour is all about making the sport more exciting to watch. If it does that I’m happy.” A good team spirit is helping the country progress, especially in the relay. “They’re not just teammates, they’re friends,” says Collins, who studies theoretical physics when he is not skating. “Niall (Treacy) is leading the way and hopefully I can improve in the same way he has.”

Keita Watanabe, Japanese Ninjas 

Watanabe is one of Japan’s most experienced racers, and is hoping that as ninjas – who were masters of a very different kind of blade – they can score some stealthy victories. “I like the symbol, the ninjas are a tradition from many years ago,” says Watanabe. “They are warriors, who work for a master, they are winners, they are quick and technical. They are very quick.

“When people think about Japan they think about martial arts and fighting, they are very popular in our culture and we always fight to win on the ice. In short track we need speed, like a ninja.”