The first 500 meters World Cup race of the season brought the Japanese a full podium finish. Gold went to Tatsuya Shinhama (34.52). Wataru Morishige (34.69) won the silver medal. The bronze medal went to Yuma Murakami with a time of 34.82.
This was the first time in 26 years that three Japanese were on the World Cup podium. Hein Otterspeer also had a flawless race. The 34-year-old Dutch sprinter finished the race in fourth place with a time of 34.89.
Heavy favorite Jordan Stolz could not beat the sixth fastest time. The 19-year-old American, who became world champion in three distances (500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters) last season, reached a time of 34.91.
With a sore shoulder
Kai Verbij, who suffered a serious fall in the World Cup qualifiers two weeks ago, managed to play again in Japan. He suffered shoulder pain as a result of his accident in Thialf and was only able to restart on the morning of the race in Obihiro.
This caused some problems for Verbij but he still managed to appear at the start with a well-bandaged shoulder. His time of 35.63 placed him in eighteenth place. “It wasn’t very ideal,” Verbij concluded. “It would have been very optimistic if I had succeeded here, you know. Your body took a hit.”
Therefore, Verbij must start in group B at the next World Championship in Beijing in a week. Just like Sebas Diniz. The 19-year-old World Cup player hit Stolz on the final stage and crashed at the final corner. He stood up again and completed the 500 meters, but came last.
The second sprint number is also included in the program in the morning. Then, Kjeld Nuis, Jenning de Boo, Tijmen Snel and Tim Prins, the surprise winner of the World Cup qualifying tournament, will start in the 1,000 meters.
Important for championship tournaments
The World Cup tournaments are important for the major championship tournaments later this season: the European and World Championship distances, the overall World Cup and the World Cup sprint. Starting places are awarded based on World Cup rankings and times traveled.
However, the AH Zaanlander team, which included Irene Schouten, decided not to make the long journey to Obihiro. “You have destroyed more than you have gained with this journey,” Coach Jillert Anema said in announcing his selection.
Source: NOS
I’m George Gonzalez, a professional journalist and author at The Nation View. With more than 5 years of experience in the field, I specialize in covering sports news for various print media outlets. My passion for writing has enabled me to craft stories that capture the attention of readers all over the world.
