#ShortTrackSkating

Sighel leads the way on special Short Track Sunday for Italy 

After Saturday, at the ISU European Short Track Championships, was dominated by the dynamic Dutchman Jens van ‘t Wout (NED), Sunday saw his main rival strike back. 

Last season, Pietro Sighel (ITA) won all three individual events at these Championships. After being closely beaten in the 500m yesterday, Sighel turned the tables on Van ‘t Wout, pipping the Netherlands racer in a photo finish to prevail in the men’s 1000m.

Jens Van ’t Wout (NED, silver) and Pietro Sighel (ITA, gold) battle for first place at the finish line with Luca Spechenhauser (ITA) coming third in the Men’s 1000m in Dresden © ISU

He then took the anchor leg as Italy won the men’s 5000m relay – performing brilliantly alongside Luca Spechenhauser (ITA) in particular, who also picked up a bronze medal in the 1000m. 

It crowned an excellent day for Italy, whose team are improving event by event, as the biggest show of them all – the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, edges into view. 

Sighel strikes back in 1000m

Van ‘t Wout versus Sighel has become a classic European tussle – they have fought it out fiercely over the last few seasons at this event – and Sunday was no different. 

A third contender has recently staked a claim, too: Poland’s Michal Niewinski (POL) has been putting himself into the mix regularly in the Short Track World Tour, and only missed the podium this weekend in Dresden due to a combination of bad luck and occasional overexuberance.

Niewinski is a big, bold racer, but is prone to crashing – here he looked set for a good charge at the finish, but tumbled with three laps to go. 

Van ‘t Wout tried to cling on at the front, but Sighel just about reeled him in, rounding the final corner in his trademark low position, and outstretching a skate to win in a photo finish. 

“It was a really hard race because I was feeling dead,” said Sighel. “The last lap is always tough. Jens was really strong, I don’t know how I caught him up. 

“My feeling was ‘I’m dead, I’m slow’. But I pushed hard. It was very good, I did my best and to come first is perfect.”

 (L-R) Jens van 'T Wout (NED) with the silver medal, Pietro Sighel (ITA) with gold and Luca Spechenhauser (ITA) with the bronze medal in the Men’s 1000m in Dresden © ISU

The Dutchman was gracious in defeat. “It was a beautiful Short Track race,” he said. “I enjoy battling Pietro. It felt like a smart tactical move for me to go for the lead. This week, leading was going well. 

“It was a little unfortunate for me that Niewinski fell, because that gave Pietro a nice gap to close on me. Maybe Niewinski could have stayed in his way. But Pietro just had the better finish, and that’s too bad for me.”

Spechenhauser, meanwhile, was just happy to be in Dresden.

“For me it was a dream to come here because for the last two months I had a problem with my knee and I wasn’t skating,” he said. 

“Coming back is hard. But life is about facing problems, so I got on the ice and did my best. It was a big challenge but I did it and I’m really happy.

“Now it is step by step. I want to be in shape for the World Championships, I want to stay fit, and my goal is the Olympic Games.” 

Italy seal vintage weekend with relay glory 

Sighel and Spechenhauser then teamed up with Thomas Nadalini (ITA) and Lorenzo Previtali (ITA) to prevail in the men’s 5000m relay. 

Team Netherlands, Team Italy and Team Poland race for glory in the Men’s 5000m Relay Final in Dresden, Germany © ISU

As expected, it was a two-way battle with the Netherlands, with Sighel and Van ‘t Wout on the final legs – but in the end the Netherlands were judged to have committed a foul. 

Italy won ahead of Niewinski’s Poland, who claimed silver, and Belgium, who took bronze. 

For Sighel, it was the perfect end as his team builds up to an Olympic test event – the Milan leg of the Short Track World Tour in February.

“This is always a big competition and it is a pleasure to take gold at a European Championship,” he said. “It gives me confidence. This Italian team is improving a lot and I hope I’m improving with it. I want to improve more for the Olympics.”

Spechenhauser agreed, and hailed Sighel as his team’s leader, as their country’s big moment approaches. “Pietro is a one-off,” he said. “He’s so fast and strong, it is really good for me to have him on the team. He pushes you to be better. 

“He has technique, he stays calm, and the leaning he has on the ice [how low he can go], is really crazy.”

Team Italy pose with the gold medals after winning the Men's 5000m Relay Final at the ISU European Short Track Championships in Dresden, Germany © ISU

Nadalini also feels that Italy’s moment is coming. “There is a brotherhood that bonds us together,” he said. “To share a goal with them is a really good feeling. Pietro and Luca did great this weekend. 

“Milano is coming up and we are hyped for that. Italy is in a good place. We are fighting with the best.” 

Niewinski, meanwhile, was content with a silver in the relay, and believes he can be on individual podiums again soon. 

“I am calm and confident about what is yet to come,” he said. “We were well connected in the relay and I’m satisfied with that. 

“Today I crashed a lot. My body is hurting. My back, my knee, my elbow, a cut on the calf. But it is part of the game. Like Rocky said, it’s not about how hard you hit, it is about how hard you can get hit and keep going forward.

“Before the last race today I just wanted to stay alive – and I achieved that.”

The athletes now move on to the fifth leg of the Short Track World Tour, the ISU Short Track World Tour Tilburg Odido Cup in Tilburg, Netherlands, from 7-9 February.