Team Canada Wins Silver in Short Track Mixed Relay at Milano Cortina 2026

MILAN, Italy – Canada secured its first silver medal at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games on Tuesday, finishing second in the short track speed skating mixed team relay. The Canadian quartet of Kim Boutin, Courtney Sarault, William Dandjinou, and Félix Roussel delivered a strong performance, ultimately edged out by a dominant Italian team on home ice.

The race unfolded with Canada initially settling into third place behind the early pace set by Italy and China. The 18-lap final saw a mid-race surge from Belgium, briefly pushing Canada down the order. However, a crucial exchange three laps later saw the Canadians regain their podium position, demonstrating the team’s resilience and tactical awareness.

In the closing stages, Roussel executed a decisive pass with three laps remaining, propelling Canada into second place. They held that position through the finish, finishing with a time of 2:39.258, just behind Italy’s winning time of 2:39.019. Belgium claimed the bronze medal, completing the podium with a time of 2:39.353.

The silver medal victory wasn’t without its dramatic moments. The semi-final heat saw Courtney Sarault navigate a chaotic collision involving American Corinne Stoddard and Korean Kim Gilli, skillfully avoiding the crash and securing Canada’s place in the final. “Unbelievable,” Sarault told CBC Olympics after the final. “I’m just so proud of this team. We really worked super hard the past month, the past four years, honestly, to achieve something like this. We stayed calm and collected the whole time today.”

This medal run also highlighted the depth of the Canadian short track program. Florence Brunelle and Steven Dubois contributed to the team’s success, racing in the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively. Brunelle skated alongside Sarault, Dandjinou, and Roussel in the quarterfinals, while Dubois joined Boutin, Sarault, and Dandjinou in the semifinals. Both Brunelle and Dubois will also receive silver medals for their contributions.

For Kim Boutin, this silver medal marks her fifth career Olympic medal, solidifying her status as Canada’s most decorated female short track speed skater. She previously won three medals at PyeongChang 2018 and another at Beijing 2022. Steven Dubois adds a fourth Olympic medal to his collection, having secured three medals at the previous Winter Games.

The mixed team relay event, added to the Olympic program at Beijing 2022, continues to showcase the dynamic and unpredictable nature of short track speed skating. The Canadian team’s performance in Milan demonstrates their ability to adapt and compete at the highest level in this relatively new discipline.

Despite the challenging ice conditions, described by Roussel as “horrible” with “everyone crashing” due to rising temperatures inside the arena, the Canadian team maintained composure and executed their strategy effectively. Roussel replaced veteran Steven Dubois in the final, after Dubois struggled in the individual 1,000-metre heats earlier in the session.

William Dandjinou, competing in his Olympic debut, expressed satisfaction with the silver medal, while also acknowledging his ambition for more. “It sets the tone. It is nice to have and to share as a team,” Dandjinou said. “Obviously, I wanted more, but I always want more. I’ve been competing against Olympians for the last four years, against medallists for the last few years, so I don’t see this as representing who I am as a person. But you can never be sad about a silver medal, especially at this level.”

The Canadian team’s silver medal win provides a significant boost as the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics continue. It sets a positive tone for the rest of the short track speed skating competition and demonstrates Canada’s continued strength in the sport. The team will look to build on this success as they compete in individual events throughout the Games.