Ukrainian Short Track Speed Skater Makes History at World Cup
Date: 2023-10-23 Author: Dima Zakharov Categories: SPORT
Ksenia Adamenko, the 19-year-old Ukrainian short track speed skater, clinched a spot in the finals of the 500-meter event at the first stage of the 2023/24 World Cup held in Montreal, Canada. In a thrilling quarterfinal race, she finished second after skillfully navigating past her competitors who had fallen ahead of her.
Advancing to the semifinals, Adamenko placed third in the first race. However, she secured her spot in the finals after a controversial decision by the referee Harold Janssen, who awarded a direct pass to the final A to the Canadian athlete, Ricki Dauk, following a rule violation by the Polish skater, Nikola Mazur. As a result, Adamenko entered the final B, where she finished second behind China's Wan Ye, ultimately securing the seventh position in the overall classification for the 500-meter distance.
Ksenia Adamenko's achievement is historic for Ukrainian short track speed skating, as she becomes the first Ukrainian to reach the finals in a World Cup event on the 500-meter distance. Furthermore, she marks the first Ukrainian athlete in 27 years to make it to the finals of any World Cup event.
The 500-meter event in Montreal was won by Xandra Felzebur from the Netherlands, with another Dutch skater, Selma Pautsma, taking second place, and the third spot going to the Italian athlete Martina Valchepina.
Advancing to the semifinals, Adamenko placed third in the first race. However, she secured her spot in the finals after a controversial decision by the referee Harold Janssen, who awarded a direct pass to the final A to the Canadian athlete, Ricki Dauk, following a rule violation by the Polish skater, Nikola Mazur. As a result, Adamenko entered the final B, where she finished second behind China's Wan Ye, ultimately securing the seventh position in the overall classification for the 500-meter distance.
Ksenia Adamenko's achievement is historic for Ukrainian short track speed skating, as she becomes the first Ukrainian to reach the finals in a World Cup event on the 500-meter distance. Furthermore, she marks the first Ukrainian athlete in 27 years to make it to the finals of any World Cup event.
The 500-meter event in Montreal was won by Xandra Felzebur from the Netherlands, with another Dutch skater, Selma Pautsma, taking second place, and the third spot going to the Italian athlete Martina Valchepina.
