Kim Boutin earns 4 medals, places 3rd overall at short track worlds
Canadian Olympian leaves Bulgaria feeling close to reaching 'next level'
Canadian speed skater Kim Boutin had hardly given herself a chance to digest a four-medal performance at the short track world championships when she began to envision a bigger and better 2019-20 season.
"I was aiming to be world champion this weekend, so it's too bad that I did not accomplish that goal," the native of Sherbrooke, Que., told Speed Skating Canada. "But I am still happy.
"It was a powerful return for me after the Olympics and I'll be pushing for a big season again next year."
After earning silver in the women's 1,500 metres on Saturday, Boutin added bronze in the 1,000 and women's 3,000 relay to finish third overall in Sofia, Bulgaria.
WATCH | Kim Boutin cross the line 3rd in the 1,000 metres:
"The girls who beat me are really strong and I feel close to reaching that next level," said Boutin, who also placed sixth in the 3,000 super final.
'I really gave it my all'
A triple medallist in her Olympic debut last February, Boutin sat second for much of the 1,000 final but stumbled coming out of the last corner, allowing Min Jeong Choi to pass and cross the finish line behind the victorious Suzanne Schulting of the Netherlands.
Schulting was tops in the women's overall classification after earning 81 points over four distances. Choi, who prevailed a year ago, finished with 76 points, followed by Boutin with 37.
Hard work pays off for relay squad
Boutin and her teammates caught a break in the relay when Schulting fell in the final laps to end the medal hopes of the Dutch. The Canadians had spent much of the race in fourth following a near-miss on an early exchange. Korea and Russia won gold and silver, respectively.
WATCH | Boutin capture relay bronze:
Courtney Sarault, Alyson Charles and Camille de Serres-Rainville were the other Canadian relay members.
"We had specific objectives we were working on all season and I think we were ready to show everyone our progress today, and it paid off," said Charles.
On the men's side, Sam Girard of Ferland-et-Boilleau, Que., was fourth overall with 29 points behind Hyo Jun Lim (102 points) and Dae Heon Hwang (55) of Korea and Russia's Semen Elistratov (44).
Fellow Canadian Steven Dubois finished ninth while reigning world champion Charles Hamelin was 18th overall.