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Hanne Desmet (BEL) is a World Champion. That is a statement the 28-year-old, and indeed Belgian Short Track Speed Skating, has been longing to hear. 

Desmet made it a reality on Saturday in the Women’s 1000m at the CNSG 2025 ISU World Short Track Championships Beijing. 

Hanne Desmet (BEL) wins in the Women's 1000m Finals at the CNSG 2025 ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Beijing, China © ISU

It was a day her family will never forget. “All hyped up” after watching brother Stijn Desmet turn his season around, by powering to silver in the Men’s 1500m, Hanne Desmet produced a simply stunning display of race craft to finally grab a first global title. 

Meanwhile, just three months after declaring in the Capital Indoor Stadium that Canada were the “world’s best women’s relay team”, Florence Brunelle (CAN) helped turn that claim into golden reality, by leading her team to a dramatic Women’s 3000m relay success. 

It was quite an opening women’s session for fans of the most dynamic sport on ice. 

Desmet mixes it up to claim golden crown

Desmet has long been one of Short Track’s top female performers, as indicated by her 2022 Olympic 1000m bronze and 2021, 1000m World Championship silver. But her display in front of a packed stadium took things to a whole new level. 

First, the Belgian fought through hugely dramatic 1000m quarter and semi-finals, relying on her famed finishing pace to get her out of some tight spots. But facing a final lineup that was frighteningly strong – even without injured defending champion Kristen Santos-Groswold (USA) – Desmet switched tactics in an instant. 

Knowing that all the greats love to lead, from 11-time Olympic medal winner Arianna Fontana (ITA) to 16-time World Championship medalist Choi Minjeong (KOR), Desmet decided it was time to join them. 

All five finalists took a turn at the front during the opening half dozen laps but when it really mattered Desmet pounced. With two laps to go, the 28-year-old hit the front and by the bell the gap was too large even for the lightening Xandra Velzeboer to close. 

Xandra Velzeboer (NED) at the CNSG 2025 ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Beijing, China © ISU

“A great day for Team Desmet,” the elder sibling said with a huge smile. “In the 1000m you have to be alert at all times and I struggle with that, and I get at the back and I am like ‘Am I going to make this up?’ 

“But I was aware I couldn’t do that in the Final. I knew I couldn’t be fifth and make it.”

“Hard training and dedication” are the reasons Desmet gave as to how she was able to pull off the new plan and make it into a dream day. 

“I was really excited to see Stijn get silver (in the 1500m) he’s been struggling this season,” Desmet said. “It’s amazing, it just makes it so much more fun if you can do it together.” 

Behind her came Velzeboer, adding silver to the 1000m World gold she won in 2023, while, in a portent for what was to come, Canada’s Courtney Sarault powered through to grab bronze. 

Silver medalist Courtney Sarault (CAN) at the CNSG 2025 ISU World Short Track Championships in Beijing, China © ISU

“There was a lot of movement, I think I blanked out,” joked Sarault, who now has four individual World medals to her name. “I just tried to stay calm and not really let the movement get to my head, and just focus on the things that I wanted to do. And it paid off.

“I was happy about it, but I wanted to re-focus because I knew we could achieve really great things in the relay.” 

‘We’ve done the job now’ in the relay

So, it proved. 

For the first half of the final, the red and black of Canada were locked together with the orange and blue of the Netherlands. But then, a damaging “misstep” from star skater Xandra Velzeboer left the Dutch behind. 

The Canadians were in no mood to pass up such an opening and, despite the historic efforts of the Polish quartet, who claimed their nation’s first ever women’s relay medal, they pulled away to claim the title. While the Netherlands recovered to win bronze ahead of Kazakhstan. 

“I knew we were able to do it, we’ve done the job now,” said Brunelle, who looked as though she could hardly believe what she had achieved as she led the team over the finishing line. 

Florence Brunelle (CAN) speeds to victory in the Women's 3000m Relay Finals in Beijing, China © ISU

“Sometimes when the dream is big, it's easy to just focus on the outcome. So, to be able to all be together, focus on what we have to do and trust in each other, that was really important. I think I was emotional.” 

She was not the only one. 

“Not really happy, I feel frustrated because I know that as a team had so much more to give,” Velzeboer said. “I was stuck after the exchange with Canada, for three corners, and that caused the misstep I made because I didn't have space. And then it just costs a lot of energy to make up for it.” 

There was no such disappointment for two of Poland’s history makers, Kamila Stormowska and Natalia Maliszewska. 

Medal winners: (L-R) Team Poland, team Canada and team Netherlands after success in the Women's 3000m Relay Finals in Beijing, China © ISU

“We’ve still got some work to do as a team, because we are not consistent with the results we are making, but right now we have delivered at the most important competition,” Stormowska remarked. 

Before her teammate Maliszewska took over and with a grin plastered across her face said simply, “I think it's hard to describe how we feel right now.”

Where to watch 

Viewers will be able to watch the CNSG ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships via their national broadcaster/channel.

For countries where there are no broadcasters and for the qualification and repechage races, the ISU will offer a live stream on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. Find the full list on the Where to Watch webpage here.

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