#ShortTrackWorldTour

On Saturday William Dandjinou of the Canadian Ice Maples skated cautiously to ensure he gathered enough points to secure the ISU Crystal Globe on the final day of the ISU Short Track World Tour in Milan, Italy. 

On Sunday, it was back to showtime.

Dandjinou put in a trademark entertainer’s performance in the 1000m in Milan to end the Short Track World Tour just how he had started it – with a gold medal. 

 After securing the ISU Crystal Globe with a cautious skate on Saturday, showman William Dandjinou (CAN) turned on the style in Sunday's 1000m. © ISU

The Italian Gladiators, meanwhile, sparked Olympic fever among the crowd at the Forum Assago, where the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games will take place in one year’s time. 

They combined brilliantly to grab the men’s 5000m relay gold, with local hero Pietro Sighel overtaking Dandjinou right at the end.

Dandjinou takes eighth gold of season to affirm his No.1 status

Dandjinou hit the front immediately in the 1000m A final. Determined to stay out of the kind of trouble that can happen in the heart of a busy pack, he bet on himself to be able to maintain an exhausting pace. 

Grimacing with pain throughout the final lap, the Ice Maple just about held off attempts from Sighel and Jang Sungwoo of the Korean White Tigers to reel him in.

At the finish line, he unleashed his trademark winged celebration. Sighel got silver and Jang the bronze.

 Dandjinou, bottom, hit the front at the start of the 1000m and never let the lead slip to win his eighth gold medal of a remarkable Short Track World Tour. © ISU

“That was great,” said the newly crowned Crystal Globe champion. “The last two weeks have been difficult with the yellow cards and some overall fatigue, so being able to conclude the World Tour with a gold is amazing.”

Dandjinou is the third ever winner of the ISU Crystal Globe. The first two instalments were won by Park Ji Won of the Korean White Tigers. The Canadian’s ascent has been dizzying: in Park’s first triumphant season, Dandjinou finished 33rd; last season he jumped up to third.

But even in his wildest dreams, he could not have anticipated gathering eight gold medals this term.

“What was I expecting coming into the season? Not that much, honestly,” said Dandjinou. “It’s always hard to know what the international level is going to be, no matter how prepared we are. I wouldn’t have predicted that I would win the Crystal Globe at all. 

“Short Track is a beautiful sport. You can go up fast and you can go down fast in it. You’ve got to enjoy the moments. We have a great team. 

“It’s an individual sport but it’s a team sport and I’m just happy to be here with my team now. We help each other.”

He has injected a new excitement into the sport with this showmanship, too. “We have a responsibility as athletes to put on a show, and that’s what we try to do,” he said.

 Home skater Pietro Sighel (ITA, left) took the 1000m silver and Korean Tiger Jang Sungwoo the bronze. © ISU

Sighel conceded that Dandjinou has been impossible to catch this term. The Canadian finished on 1184 points, with Jens van ‘t Wout second with 950 and the Italian third on 764.

“Congratulations to him,” said Sighel. “He has been so strong all season. He is the best and he deserves the Globe. I did my best, and I had a good season. I will work hard to try and do even better next season.” 

Italian Gladiators turn Assago Forum into their Colosseum 

The male Italian Gladiators haven’t won a 5000m relay in 2024/25 – but all season, they have been saying “wait until Milan”.

The team in blue have seen this test event for the Olympic Winter Games as their main focus for the winter: a chance to skate in front of family and friends, and to show their country what Short Track will have to offer at Milano Cortina 2026. 

The focus paid off. They missed one chance, finishing fourth in a mixed relay final which the Dutch Lions won ahead of Canadian Ice Maples and Japanese Ninjas. 

At the final medal event of the weekend, though, their top performer, Sighel, put in a bold, brilliant pass full of sheer willpower to go past Dandjinou and send the crowd wild.

 Sighel, front left, and teammates Thomas Nadalini, Mattia Antonioli and Luca Spechenhauser sent the Italian support home happy with gold in the final event of the weekend, the 5000m Relay. © ISU

“That was amazing, the atmosphere is so special,” he said. “I am really happy. It was like a football crowd today. Maybe we can help to make this sport more popular. I loved it.” 

Teammate Thomas Nadalini was equally ecstatic. “I cannot describe what I’m feeling right now,” he said. “Here. At home, friends and family – we showed that Italy can be at the top, not just in the race.

“We showed we can win, we are there with the greatest nations. I am the screamer in this group. When Pietro overtook at the end. I was pointing at Canada and screaming ‘they are there, get them’. Everything in my lungs. And he did. 

“It’s a really great moment for us, and for Italy.”

It certainly whets the appetite for 2026’s Olympic feast. In the meantime, the athletes now prepare for the conclusion of the season: the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Beijing, China, from March 14 to 16.

Men’s ISU Crystal Globe – final standings 

William Dandjinou - 1184

Jens van ‘t Wout - 950

Pietro Sighel - 764

About the ISU Short Track World Tour: Feel the Rush!

The ISU Short Track World Tour is a global series of six elite Short Track ice skating events, spanning across North America, Asia and Europe. With a focus on engaging fans in a brand-new dynamic and entertaining event experience through vibrant competitions, the ISU Short Track World Tour aims to elevate the sport and bring its explosive excitement to a worldwide audience.

With each race, skaters aim for the ultimate prize — the Crystal Globe—awarded to the top male and female skater who accumulate the most points throughout the Short Track World Tour. This is where the world’s best Short Track skaters meet to thrill audiences and Feel the Rush!