Mixed Fortunes For Irish Wolfhounds At Beijing World Tour
The Irish Wolfhounds had a mixed bag of results at the third stage of this season’s ISU Short Track World Tour in Beijing, China this weekend.
In the qualification rounds on the opening day of the event, Sean McAnuff (Co. Antrim) and Liam O’Brien (Co. Cavan) raced in all three distances. O’Brien was first of the Irish skaters on the track in Heat 3 of the 1500m. He managed to stay ahead of a pile up that took a number of skaters out, but on the third last lap he collided with another skater and crashed into the barriers. He got back to complete the race in a time of 3:07.018 for fourth place. McAnuff was also right in contention in Heat 5 when going into the third last lap he slipped off course. He returned home in a time of 2:51.713 to come fifth.
The Irish were drawn in back to back heats of the 500m preliminaries. McAnuff got the ball rolling in Heat 4. In a swift race, he finished fifth in a new personal best of 42.183. O’Brien arrived on the ice immediately after in Heat 5 and was fourth in a time of 43.464.
The Wolfhounds faced the 1000m preliminaries to end qualification day and O’Brien found himself in Heat 2. He finished in fourth place with a time of 1:27.337. McAnuff lined up in Heat 4 and came fourth with a time of 1:26.505.
The Irish skaters took on the 1500m and 500m repechages on the second day of the event. In Heat 3 of the 1500m repechage quarterfinals, O’Brien narrowly missed out on advancing when crossed the line in third place with a time of 2:25.159. McAnuff was up right after in Heat 4 and he finished fourth in a time of 2:21.095. It was then on to the 500m repechage quarterfinals for O’Brien. He was on the back foot from the start in Heat 6 and never got into contention. He had to settle for fourth in a time of 44.715.
McAnuff and O’Brien were back on the last day of competition for the 1000m repechage quarterfinals. In Heat 4, McAnuff took fifth place with a time of 1:28.592. O’Brien followed in Heat 5 and he wrapped up Ireland’s account with a fourth place in a time of 1:28.620.
“The racing didn’t go as I had planned and there’s still a lot of work to go,” O’Brien said. “I am happy with the experience I gained this week and am ready to use it all to get a better result next week.”
“I was very proud to achieve my goal of a new personal best time, which ended up being in the 500m,” McAnuff said. “I had some races I was proud of and also some that revealed areas I need to improve, primarily in my racing strategy. I am holding my head high and am very excited to head to Seoul, South Korea for the fourth stop of the World Tour this week.”
