British short track speed skating performance director Stuart Horsepool insists Elise Christie is exactly where he wants her to be ahead of the second World Cup of the Olympic season in Korea.
Christie placed fifth overall in the 500m and eighth in the 1000m, the latter the distance over which she won the World Cup and European titles as well as World Championship bronze last season.
She was also 29th in the 1500m in Shanghai, fellow Brit Charlotte Gilmartin 18th, with the duo combining with Alex Stanley and Kathryn Thomson to place ninth overall in the 3000m relay.
On the men’s side in China last week, Richard Shoebridge was 13th in the 1000m and 14th in the 500m with the second of four World Cups this Olympic season fast approaching in Seoul.
The pressure is on Christie to perform, given her efforts last season, and she will focus individually on the 1000m and 1500m in Korea and Horsepool is happy with her current standing.
“Elise performed well in Shanghai. Getting a medal in short track is very hit and miss, but to finish consistently in the top eight is a very good place to be,” said Horsepool.
“We had mixed results in Shanghai. We saw some strong individual performances from a number of athletes, but a couple of the skaters will be looking to improve on their results from last week.
“Short track is a sport where you are constantly learning no matter what stage you are at. You have to take what you can from each competition and find ways of improving and building on that.”
© Sportsbeat 2013