Laurent Dubreuil dreams about skating even at night
In the world of speed skating, his talent has always been undeniable. The years have passed, but his love for his sport has remained unwavering. “Every other night, I dream of skating,” he admits, with great pragmatism. I frequently review my previous races to see where I can improve in my spare time. I don’t feel like I’m working.
Those who have watched him for more than ten years are not surprised by his international successes. Dubreuil finished tenth at the World Championships in 2011, when he was just 19 years old. He finished second at the World Sprint Championships four years later.
The Quebec City skater continues to progress, but it is not until 2021 that he finally reaches the top of his sport. After two months off the ice, Dubreuil won four World Cup medals and his first world title in the 500 metres in the Netherlands in February. He added a bronze medal in the 1,000 metres to his outstanding record, a distance he is less accustomed to.
This autumn, Laurent Dubreuil continued his momentum with the World Cup circuit’s significant first part of the season. He had an almost complete stranglehold on the 500 metres, with eight podium finishes in eight events, including two gold medals, which is rare.
Dubreuil demonstrated his enormous talent last month in Calgary, finishing the 500 metres in under 34 seconds for the first time in his career. He had long wanted to add this feat to his resume. His performance of 33.77 seconds makes him the second-fastest skater in history, surpassing Jeremy Wotherspoon’s Canadian record from 2007. Dubreuil improved on his lifetime best by 28 hundredths of a second, a significant increase. It was a near-perfect race. It was a fantastic day,” he said.
