BEIJING — Laurent Dubreuil held up two fingers for his young daughter Rose back home in Canada when he stepped onto the Olympic podium Friday.
The speedskater had just claimed a silver medal in a race that wasn't his specialty after missing a medal by a hair in his signature event in Beijing.
"The number two is her favourite number, so for her it's probably a dream scenario," Dubreuil said.
The 29-year-old from Lévis, Que., shook his head in amazement at finishing second in the 1,000 metres.
Six days earlier, the reigning world champion in the 500 metres fell short of a medal by three hundredths of a second and placed fourth.
"It's crazy to win a medal in the 1,000 and not in the 500. That's not what I would have bet on," Dubreuil said. "As much as it was disappointing and a letdown six days ago, this is incredible and a huge surprise for me.
"My mindset was just go out there skate light, free and create a surprise. I didn't quite win, but it feels like a win for me."
He finished four-tenths of a second back of winning Dutchman Thomas Krol, who was the only man to go under one minute eight seconds in 1:07.92.
Haavard Holmefjord Lorentzen of Norway took the bronze in 1:08.48.
Dubreuil skated in the final pairing with Dutch world champion Kai Verbij.
The Canadian's opener was so quick — he was 0.7 seconds ahead of Krol after one lap — that Verbij wasn't fast enough to pass in front him and switch from the inner lane to the outer lane on the final crossover.
Verbij pulled up instead of risking a collision and disqualification, and finished last.
"Laurent had a really, really fast first 600," Verbij explained. "I saw him next to me. I didn't have enough speed to go past him. So I had to quit. Otherwise, I would’ve been disqualified and probably messed up his race.”
The Canadian felt that was sporting of the Dutchman.
"He's the world champion in the 1,000, so I can understand the pain of not medalling being world champion," Dubreuil said. "That's exactly what I went through.
"I can't thank him enough to have had the class to let me through. I know skaters who wouldn't have given a crap and would have just gone for it."
Dubreuil tops the World Cup standings in the 500 with a medal in all eight races so far this season. He hadn't finished in the top three in a 1k, although he took bronze in last year's world championship.
"The 500 is more natural for me. Before in my career, it was 500 or bust," he said. "The 1,000 is something I've worked extremely hard for.
"It's special to be able to do something like that in a distance where I had to work much harder to be competitive in than the 500."
The University of Laval communications student spoke with parents Robert and Ariane, who were also Olympic speedskaters, about his disappointment in his first race in Beijing.
"The mindset became more about having fun out there, surprise yourself, surprise people and this is a much easier place to be in because you don't have anything to lose," Dubreuil said.
"That's what my parents reinforced. That's what my coach said as well. It's not fun being the favourite and having expectations on you. It was a less stressful day and a more fun day today than it was six days ago."
Dubreuil maintains he doesn't need an Olympic medal to be happy in life. His marriage to Andreanne Bastille and two-year-old Rose is more important, but he's also a competitor who likes to win.
"I can separate my professional life from my personal life somewhat. One hundred per cent is tough, but I can do it I think better than most athletes," he explained.
"At the same time, as much as my personal life didn't need an Olympic medal, my professional life, I kind of wanted one."
The stories he'll tell Rose about Beijing will have a few twists and turns..
"It's going to be much easier for me to teach my kids about perseverance, working hard and believing in yourself because this is really what this week was all about," Dubreuil said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 18, 2022.
Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
