Short track speed skater Pascal Dion is 28 years old and has two Olympic appearances behind the tie. He rubbed shoulders with monuments of the past like Marc Gagnon and Charles Hamelin and up-and-coming skaters like Félix Roussel and Mathieu Pelletier. Maintaining the legacy would require “finding the new story.”
Dion is the most experienced skater on the Canadian team. His greatest quality is undoubtedly his ability to take the lead each season, even if he gets older each year.
When La Presse caught up with him at Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard, he had just returned from South Korea, where the World Short Track Championships had taken place. The Montrealer won the bronze medal there in the 1,500 meter event. This medal was in addition to the five obtained this season in the World Cup.
“It feels good to be back,” he said.
Especially after an emotionally charged season. He and the team had great joys, some disappointments, but overall, Dion draws a positive assessment of the winter that has just ended. Especially collectively.
In all, 37 medals, more precisely. A staggering harvest for a team that is still young. “The team is really where it should be,” he thinks.
He mentioned Félix Roussel, “who was new to the World Cup team”. And even Jordan Pierre-Gilles, “who had his first individual medal”, won in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in the 1000 meter event.
This season has also been a real break with the past. The history of Canadian speed skating is prestigious. However, according to Dion, it would be necessary to shine a light on new faces and to look forward instead of relying on the success of yesteryear.
“We’ve talked a lot about Charles [Hamelin] in recent years, with good reason,” he recalls. I think there are skaters who were improving and who were a bit in the shadows. I think this year everything comes out, and there’s just positive to come. »
Dion talks about a “fresh start” for speed skating here. “It would be the job of the media to go to these new stories,” he added.
Among them, he names that of Roussel and Mathieu Pelletier. “There are definitely more young people with very good potential. »
The double Olympic medalist also recalled how much the women’s side of the national team deserved more attention.
“In the last few years, the girls had performed a little less well,” he admits. There was always Kim [Boutin] and Courtney [Sarault] who managed to get a few medals. »
This season, the two skaters mentioned have continued to collect medals. Sarault brought home six. Boutin, four. However, the last few months have seen the emergence of other skaters, such as Rikki Doak, winner of two individual medals.
The women also won six medals in the relay.
“You’re starting to have the same depth as the boys,” Dion said.
This is also encouraging for the new mixed relay events: “For both teams, there is super good potential and I think that’s going to make the mixed relay, a new event, going to be super strong!” »
