European Short Track Championships: Stijn Desmet takes 1,500m silver
On the first final day of the European Short Track Championships in Dresden, Belgium's Stijn Desmet shared the 1,500m silver medal with Dutchman Sven Roest. The pair crossed the line at the same time, with no time difference between them.
Dutch favourite Jens van 't Wout, a former training partner of the Belgian team, took gold. Van 't Wout later added another title in the 500m. Desmet retired in the quarter-finals after being penalised for interfering with Italian skater Lorenzo Previtali. Meanwhile, Van Damme and Pétré were eliminated earlier in their respective events.
On Sunday, Desmet will compete in the 1,000m final and Belgium's relay team will be aiming for a podium finish.
The relay team of Desmet, Warre Noiron, Ward Pétré and Fré Van Damme finished second to the Netherlands in their semi-final to secure a place in Sunday's final. Their progress was helped by the fall of a Turkish skater, one of Belgium's main rivals. Last year, Belgium took an unexpected silver in Gdansk.
© AFP
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