Krūzbergs Finishes Fifth in 1000m at World Short Track Tour opener
latvian short track skater Roberts Krūzbergs finished fifth in the 1000-meter final at the opening stage of the World Short Track Tour. The race began at a slow pace,with Krūzbergs initially taking the lead and increasing the speed. However, he was overtaken by competitors and ultimately placed last among the five finalists.Italy’s Peter Sigel won gold, followed by South Korea’s Rim Johngun, and China’s UL Shaoan taking bronze.
Krūzbergs advanced to the A final after a strong performance in the semi-finals, where he battled for third place, moved into second, but ultimately secured the final qualifying spot as the fastest third-place finisher. He previously qualified from his quarter-final heat, moving from fourth to second and holding that position for most of the race.
Fellow Latvian Reinis Berzins competed but did not advance, finishing fourth in his quarter-final.
The World Short Track Tour consists of four stages, with upcoming competitions scheduled for Montreal next week, and then Gdansk and Dordrecht in November. Skaters are competing for olympic qualification spots: 32 quotas will be available in the 500m and 1000m, 36 in the 1500m, eight in the relay, and 12 in the mixed relay.
Krūzbergs enjoyed a prosperous 2023-2024 season, earning silver medals in two 1000m events, and placing third overall in the standings, with a silver in the 1500m and a bronze in the 500m.
The competition is being broadcast live on the “Skating Isu” YouTube channel. Other Latvians competing in the tour include Reinis Berzins, Linards Reinis Laizāns, Māris Jānis Sternmanis, and Anna Jansone.