There were storylines everywhere you looked in the Optisport Sportboulevard on Sunday night, as a thrilling ISU Short Track World Tour season came to a close. 

Taking the limelight, as he has all season, was William Dandjinou of the Canadian Ice Maples. He retained the coveted Crystal Globe, reaffirming his status as the world’s greatest Short Track skater.

In the 1000m, meanwhile, Rim Jongun of the Korean White Tigers took gold to signal that he, too, may have a dazzling future in the sport.

And in the relays it was a tale of two brothers: Jens van ’t Wout led the Dutch Lions to victory in the Mixed, while his sibling Melle van’t Wout, who has taken a long road back from injury, helped win the 5000m in front of a crazed crowd in Dordrecht, Netherlands. 

Dandjinou could be ‘the best ever’

The main man first: Dandjinou had a poor day on the ice – falling in the 1000m semifinals — but in the end, it mattered naught. He finished top of the men’s standings with 876 points, ahead of Pietro Sighel of the Italian Gladiators, with 664 points, and his teammate Steven Dubois, who was third with 590.

“It feels great, especially during an Olympic season. You never know how people are going to show up,” he said of keeping the Globe. 

Canadian Ice Maple William Dandjinou secured his second-straight Crystal Globe Sunday in Dordrecht, Netherlands. © ISU

The ISU Crystal Globe is now the biggest prize in regular-season Short Track. It replaced the overall title at the World Championships, which was last awarded in 2022. Dandjinou’s coach, Marc Gagnon, was four-time overall champion; only Viktor An, with six, won more. An competed for South Korea and Russia.

Can Dandjinou dominate to the same extent as one of his mentors? 

“I think Will has all that it takes to be the greatest of all time,” said Gagnon. “I would like him not to hear that, to put pressure on, but he has the strength, the mind. Everything you need. I hated to lose, and I know he hates to lose, too, although he handles it better than I did. He will have lower moments, and we never know who will come up, but he can keep going.”

Does Dandjinou agree? 

“If I do get more Globes and beat those records, it will be the hardest thing to do in Short Track,” he said. “I feel that the sport has never been as good as it is now. In the meantime, I will focus on the Games, but we will see for the future. There were still mistakes on my part, so it is hard for me to be totally satisfied. There is still a lot of work to do.”

The champion was fast to credit his team, which also sealed the ISU Team Crystal Globe Trophy ahead of the Dutch and Koreans. 

On the podium they held photos aloft. 

“They were of the teammates who contributed to our fifth Crystal Globe, who weren’t here,” said Dandjinou. “So it was an homage to them. We thought it was important that they were represented on the stage with us.” 

He also credited the women’s champion, his teammate Courtney Sarault. 

“Courtney inspires me every day. I try to mimic her in a lot of ways, but I’m still trying to figure out what makes her so great.” 

Rim powers back to win 1000m

Rim Jongun was the revelation of the first event the Short Track World Tour season in Montreal, where he obliterated an unsuspecting field to win 1500m gold. 

The Korean has since turned 18, and he struggled a little at the next two events. Could his debut have been a fluke? His showing in the 1000m on Sunday suggests not.

Rim Jongun of the Korean White Tigers celebrates his 500m win, his second title of the ISU World Tour season, on Sunday. © ISU

The final looked open in the absence of Dandjinou and Jens van ’t Wout, who was ruled out with an injury. The action saw Rim, Sighel and Liu Shaoang of the Chinese Loongs trade places, but Rim overtook the Chinese racer on the final lap to grab gold.

“On the first World Tour I won, and then later on I wasn’t doing well compared to that, so I’m just very happy to get a medal again,” he said. “I wasn’t feeling well, condition wise, so I was worried, I was a bit cautious rather than too energetic, but I managed to win. This was a last chance for the Olympics to show what I can do.”

Liu took silver. 

“It was a hard race, intense, and a good learning session before the Olympics,” he said. “Overall I’m really happy. We’ve had ups and downs this season.”

Medalists Liu Shaoang, Rim Jongun and Pietro Sighel after the concluding 1000m race of the ISU World Tour in Dordrecht. © ISU

Sighel has been consistent all winter. He took bronze here, and was pleased with second place overall in the standings. 

“It’s always a pleasure to take a medal,” he said. “I felt really good, but maybe I was too easy in the middle of the race, which is why Shaoang passed me. But I felt really good. This is important as we approach Milano Cortina. I was consistent, and that was my objective. Now we train hard and arrive in Milano in the best form. We need to be at our max. I am really excited.”

As for the future?

“Maybe in the future I can win (the Globe). William now is the strongest, but I am happy because I’ve improved from four years ago,” he said.

Double Dutch delight in relays

The rowdy Dordrecht crowd was denied the opportunity to turn the volume up in the individual distances, but the relays gave them a reason. 

The headline act was the Van ’t Wout brothers. The pair have spoken emotionally about each other since Melle returned from two years out with injury, and Dordrecht provided the perfect setting for an emotional comeback. 

First, Jens took the final leg to help win the Mixed Relay ahead of the USA Eagles and Korean White Tigers. Injured later in the day, he then cheered from the sidelines as Melle contributed to a Dutch Lions 5000m relay victory that almost took the roof off the venue. 

Jens van 't Wout celebrates victory in the Mixed Relay on Sunday. The Dutch Lions would later add gold in the 5000m relay in Dordrecht. © ISU

“I’m ecstatic,” said Melle. “I couldn’t imagine winning gold in the relay with the boys, at home. It’s probably the best feeling there is in our sport, just like it was for the Canadians winning in Montreal. It’s a super amazing feeling.”

Added Jens:

“Melle filled my spot perfectly, so it was so nice to see. He’s been training so hard. I was so pumped watching him, I felt like I was skating. Hopefully we will be skating a lot more together.” 

The Chinese Loongs finished second and the Italian Gladiators third.

The Short Track world will now disperse. Some will come together for the 2026 European Championships in Tilburg, Netherlands on 15-18 January, while others have national Olympic qualifers to go through. 

But for most, the important date is Feb. 10: the first day of Short Track action at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.