The Netherlands has shattered the world record in the 2,000m mixed team relay at the ISU World Short Track Championships in Beijing. Clocking in at 2 minutes and 35.339 seconds during the quarterfinals on Friday, the Dutch team surpassed the previous record set by Canada earlier this month at the same venue, the Capital Indoor Stadium.
The Dutch quartet—Xandra Velzeboer, Michelle Velzeboer, Jens van’t Wout, and Teun Boer—delivered an electrifying performance that left the audience in awe on the opening day of the three-day tournament.
Unfortunately for the home crowd, Team China faced setbacks as Sun Long fell during the race, causing the team to miss out on the semifinals. Despite this, Sun secured a spot in the men’s 500m quarterfinals, showcasing determination after the mishap.
Chinese skaters demonstrated strong performances in other events, including the men’s 1,500m, women’s 3,000m relay, and men’s 5,000m relay. Veteran skater Fan Kexin, along with teammate Wang Xinran, advanced to the women’s 500m quarterfinals.
Reflecting on the day’s events, Fan remarked, “Mistakes make athletes grow faster, and everyone has to go through the process. In any case, our whole team takes on the responsibility together.”
