Anticipation builds as Torino prepares for short track speed skating

The Palavela arena is set to come alive on Tuesday, 21 January with the dynamic sounds of short track speed skaters starting competition at the Torino 2025 FISU World University Games.

Teams scheduled to hit the ice for day 1 of short track events engaged in intensive training on Monday, aiming to deliver peak performances in their respective races.

Italian team focused on home ice advantage

Loreggia Alessandro, a 20-year-old expressed a balanced outlook, stating he has “no expectations and the main goal is to enjoy the competition and give my best.” The psychology student from Mercatorum University has been training with the Italian national team in Bormio for the past month and believes they are well prepared.

Reflecting on the Italians preparations, Alessandro noted, “We understand that Torino is an important city for speed skating, and we normally host events here for the sport every two or three years, so we are quite familiar with the terrain.”

French ride wave of confidence

Fresh off their success at the European Speed Skating Championships held in Heerenveen, Netherlands, earlier in January, the French team enters the competition with heightened confidence.

Aurélie Lévêque, who clinched gold in mixed team relay at the Lake Placid 2023 FISU Games, shared her delegation’s ambition. “We were proud of ourselves for winning the European Championships, and our goal is to hold another medal here at FISU.”

Emphasising their youthful vigour, Lévêque, a student at Studi, added, “To be young is to be a great performer, and that sets our team apart from the rest.” Teammate Bérénice Comby from Aix Marseille University revealed her personal pre-game ritual stating, “Well, personally, all I say to myself is I am going to give my all, and I will remain optimistic and see what comes out of the race.”

Aiming to maintain momentum

The Dutch team, hosts of the recent European Championships, is eager to continue its strong performance. Bram Albert Steenaart, a member of the men’s relay team and a FISU medallist from Lake Placid 2023, hopes to replicate past successes. “For me, at least, I think I want to make it to the semi-finals,” said the law student from Utrecht University. Highlighting his contingent’s cohesive training advantage, Steenaart mentioned, “Since we train together, we know each other’s strengths. And as the games approach, we have slowed down a bit because we have been training very hard for the past few weeks, and resting is important.”

The Republic of Korea poised to dominate

A common sentiment among teams is the formidable presence of the Republic of Korea, who dominated the short track events in Lake Placid. Kim Taesung, who secured gold in the men’s 500, 1000 and 1500 m, aims to maintain his supremacy.

Teammate Kim Gilli from the women’s squad discussed the group’s rigorous preparation.

 “When training, it seems like we repeatedly and systematically practice for both relay and individual events. Teamwork is important, and race training also seems crucial.”

A lot of mental tension

On balancing physical and mental strength, she added, “We focus more on speed training as the competition approaches. For large competitions like international events, there is a lot of mental tension, but I try to stay confident and perform as I do in practice.”

Determined to uphold the Republic of Korea’s esteemed reputation, Gilli remains focused on her performance, stating, “I also make an effort to observe and assess the abilities of athletes from other countries.” The Korea University student is resolute in not letting pressure affect her performance.

Both the men’s and women’s 1500 m races are scheduled at Palavela on Tuesday. As the competition unfolds, all eyes will be on these student-athletes striving for excellence on the ice.

The take place from 13-23 January. Watch all the competitions live on . Click on the link to find the full schedule.

Written by Esther Owusua Appiah-Fei, FISU Young Reporter, Ghana

The Young Reporters Programme exemplifies FISU’s commitment to more than sports competitions. At every FISU World University Games, a group of talented aspiring sports journalists are chosen to cover the competition.

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