Steven Dubois – short track speed skater
Where better to start than four-time world champion short track speed skater, Steven Dubois, who headed off to Japan at the end of last season for quite the trip.
Diving in spectacular but frigid waters that left him trembling with cold, taking in the thrum of iconic cityscapes, and posting food photos, lots of food photos, Dubois enjoyed his well-earned break in April after… oh we’re sorry, did we forget to mention it, after winning all four of the titles at one world championships, and in the edition before the next Olympic Winter Games to boot.
So yes, the lengthy break was clearly well-deserved after a mammoth 2024-25 season for the Quebec native, especially as he’ll likely feel a shift in focus toward him in Italy, after the retirement of compatriot and six-time Olympic medallist, including four gold, Charles Hamelin.
Winning Olympic gold in the 5000m relay alongside Hamelin, Maxime Laoun, and Pascal Dion, Dubois also won individual silver in the men’s 1500m, and bronze in the 500m, so looks to have picked up the mantle for short track excitement for Canada with ease.
But perhaps it’s no surprise Dubois has gone dark since his trip to the Far East, with no content posted on Instagram since April, as he goes into stealth mode with training ramping up.
It’s possibly also unnerving for his fellow competitors as all of them target being at the Milano Ice Skating Arena for the start of the Olympic short-track speed skating event on 10 February.
But qualification comes first.
Based on the ISU Short Track World Tour competitions, which determine the Special Olympic Qualifying Classifications (SOQC) in 2025, the three best results out of four of the ISU Short Track World Tour competitions will decide the quotas for the SOQC over the respective distances.
The first takes place in Montreal from 16 to 19 October, with many an eye likely trained on the favourite for mutliple events, Dubois.