Short Track Speed Skating athlete Bendan Corey commenced his 2023-2024 season last month, taking part in a double World Cup and Four Continents events in Quebec, Canada.

World Cup #1 – Montreal, CAN
At the first of two world cup weekends in Montreal, Corey competed in the 500m and 1500m distances.

In the 500m, Corey unfortunately received a penalty in the early rounds, giving him a ranking of 48th. In the 1500m,

Corey made it through to the semi-finals, finishing in 16th place.

Also in action for Australia was Hyo Jin Kim who was 29th in the 1000m (2) and 32nd in the 1500m.

World Cup #2 – Montral, CAN
In the second World Cup in Montral, Corey improved to have two results in the top-17, taking part in the 1000m and 1500m (1) event.

In the 1000m, Corey advanced through to the quarter final round, with a final placing of 16th. In the 1500m, Corey made it through an extra round to reach the semi-finals, finishing in 17th.

In the women’s event, Hyo Jin Kim placed 28th in the 1500m (1) and 36th in the 1000m.

ISU Four Continents Short Track Championships – Laval, Canada
Also in Montreal was the Four Continents Short Track Championships, which took place nearby just after the World Cup events, in Laval in early November.

Corey had a much improved performance in Laval, reaching the B-Final in the 1000m, with a final ranking of sixth place.

He also made the B-Final in the 1500, with a 12th place performance, and was 17th in the 500m.

Hyo Jin Kim best performance was a 12th place finish in the women’s 1000m, and was 16th in the 500m and 18th in the 1500m.

The World Cup series now heads to Asia, with the next events for Corey the World Cup competition in Beijing, China, on December 8-10, followed by the World Cup in Seoul, Korea, on December 15-17.

2022 Olympian Brendan Corey has had a successful ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Championships in Seoul, Korea, recording two top-10 performances in his best ever finish at the event.

The result is Australia's best at the World Championships since the 1990's, when the men's relay team, featuring Olympic champion Steven Bradbury, had a number of top-five finishes.

Corey started the 1500m event in great form, winning his opening quarter final heat to advance direct into the semi-finals.

In the semi-final, Corey grabbed second place in a tight finish to make it through to his first ever World Championship A-final. Up against a field of eight skaters, Corey finished in sixth place setting a new personal best.

On the final day of competition, Corey continued his strong skating into the 1000m reaching the semi-final for the second time in Seoul. With a spot in the A-Final on the line, Corey narrowly missed out finishing in third place, putting him in the B-Final.

In the B-Final, Corey crossed the line in third, giving him his second top-10 for the World Championships in eighth place.

Corey also competed in the 500m, his third distance at the World Championships, placing 26th.

IMAGE
Brendan Corey (left) in action in the 1000m B-Final
Photo: Chung Sung-Jun/ISU

2022 Olympian Brendan Corey has continued his excellent season, equalling his previous personal best in the 1000m at the same location last season, with a fifth place finish at Dordrecht in The Netherlands.

Competing in the first 1000m distance event, Corey made a great start winning his rounds in the preliminaries and heats. In the quarter-finals, Corey finished in second to advance to the semi-final.

In the semi-final, Corey had a great skate to break the Australian record for 1000m with a time of 1:23.741 , finishing in third to reach his third A-Final of the season.

In the final, Corey had another strong skate, but was unable to land on the podium missing out by less than half a second.

Corey also competed in a second 1000m distance event in Dordrecht, finishing 19th.

"With three A-Finals this season, I feel like I have made a huge step forward from last season," said the 26-year-old.

Other Australian's in action in Dordrecht included:

Men
Keanu Blunden 35th (500m), 39th (1000m #1)
Lucas Wareham 46th (500m), 44th 1500m)
Ihan Yoo 44th (1000m #2), 25th (1500m)
5000m Relay Team 13th

Women
Hyo Jin Kim 29th (500m), 26th (1500m)

The World Cup season is now complete for the short track athletes, with the World Championships to take place from March 10-12 in Seoul, Korea.

 

2022 Olympian Brendan Corey has achieved another World Cup personal best in the 1500m distance, this time finishing in sixth place in Dresden, Germany.

Corey has had a great season so far in the longest distance, and continued his great form to reach his second A-Final of the season.

In the A-Final, Corey finished in sixth place, improving on his eighth place finish earlier in the season in Almaty, Kazakhstan.Corey also competed in the 500m, finishing in 29th place, just missing out on advancing to the next round after finishing second in his repechage quarter final heat.

Reflecting on his performances in Germany, Corey commented:

"That was my best finish so far, and I am absolutely chuffed about my performance yesterday."

"In the semi-final there was a lot of bumping and grinding in that race, but I managed to get through and barely make it across the line in second, as out of the final turn my blade poked into the ice and I stumbled."

"I am happy to take part in finals, it's such a great experience and I hope to see more of those in the future."

"Overall I am pretty happy with my best finish so far. In the 500m I had a bit of touch luck, but that's Short Track."
Also competing for Australia:
Keanu Blunden 58th (1000m), 48th (1500m #2)
Lucas Wareham 50th (500m), 47th 1500m #1)
Hyo Jin Kim 36th (500m), 28th (1500m #1)
The next round of the Short Track Speed Skating World Cup tour will take place next weekend in Dordrecht, Netherlands, on February 10-12.

Brendan Corey has recorded his second World Cup top-10 of the season, with a ninth place finish in the 1500 metres in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

With Almaty hosting two weekends of World Cup competition, the 2022 Olympian continued his form from the previous week where he made the A-Final and finished in eighth place.

Corey had to progress through the repechage rounds to reach the semi-final, where he finished in fourth, advancing him to the B-Final.

In the B-Final, Corey had a strong race to finish second, giving him a final ranking of ninth.

Corey also competed in the 500m, but received a penalty in the quarterfinals exiting from the competition in 20th place.

The next Short Track Speed Skating World Cup will take place in Dresden, Germany, on February 3-5.

Brendan Corey leading the way
IMAGE: Australian Ice Racing

2022 Olympian Brendan Corey has impressed again with a World Cup PB in the 1500m, finishing in eighth place in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Corey progressed through the quarter final round in third place gaining direct passage to the semi-finals avoid the repechage rounds. In the semi-final, Corey qualified for the A-Final in first place his first time in the 1500m distance on World Cup.

In the A-Final, Corey was out in front for most of the race, but unfortunately crashed with four laps to go to finish in eight place.

The Short Track Speed Skating tour will remain in Almaty for another World Cup event at the same location next weekend.