Performance director Stuart Horsepool has told Britain’s short track speed skaters to be mentally ready as he anticipates this week’s World Championships being on a par with last month’s Winter Olympics.
All five of Britain’s short track speed skaters that were in action at Sochi 2014 will compete in Montreal including Elise Christie, who is looking to bounce back from effectively being disqualified three times in Russia.
She will compete in all three individual events again – the 500m, 1000m and 1500m – along with Charlotte Gilmartin while Jack Whelbourne and Richard Shoebridge will follow suit in the men’s events.
Jon Eley, who carried the British flag at the opening ceremony of Sochi 2014, will compete in the men’s 5000m relay along with Whelbourne, Shoebridge and Paul Stanley with Joshua Cheetham the reserve.
Unlike the Winter Olympics, the World Championships take place across three days and with just one rest day for the team in between the two events, Horsepool has called for mental toughness at an equally tough event.
“The challenge for the team at the worlds is going to be maintaining the form they showed at the Olympics in Sochi and also getting into the frame of mind to compete one final time this season,” said Horsepool. “The worlds will be equally, if not more difficult than the Olympics because there are more competitors and more rounds to get through in a shorter period of time.
“They faced a lot of adversity at the Games, so Montreal is going to be a test of their composure and their ability to bounce back after their struggles in Sochi.”
© Sportsbeat 2014