MILAN – Canada’s campaign to dominate short-track speedskating at the Milan Cortina Olympics started with a silver medal in the mixed team relay on Tuesday.
Montreal’s William Dandjinou, Kim Boutin and Félix Roussel, both from Sherbrooke, Que., and Courtney Sarault of Moncton, N.B., finished in two minutes 39.258 seconds behind host Italy (2:39.019) and ahead of Belgium (2:39.353).
Steven Dubois of Terrebonne, Que., and Florence Brunelle of Trois-Rivières, Que., also earned silver after skating in the relay earlier in the day, Dubois in the semifinals and Brunelle in the quarterfinals.
China, the defending Olympic champion and a medal favourite, finished fourth.
Canada trailed the Italians and Chinese for much of the event, but a Chinese skater slipped late in the race, allowing the other teams to take advantage.
Dandjinou took over for the final laps well behind Italian anchor skater Pietro Sighel and couldn’t close the gap.
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The Canadians entered the race as the reigning world champions and with designs on a gold medal. While the ultimate prize eluded them, a silver medal is still a measure of Olympic redemption.
Canada was disqualified for a push from behind in the final at the event’s Olympic debut at the 2022 Beijing Games.
Dandjinou is competing in his first Olympics after winning three gold medals and a silver at the 2025 short-track world championships.
Boutin picked up her fifth Olympic medal.
It was another big race for Italy’s Arianna Fontana, who skated Italy’s opening laps. She won her 12th Olympic medal and third gold.
It’s Canada’s third medal overall and first silver of the Games.
DUBOIS ELIMINATED FROM 1,000
Dubois, a three-time Olympic medallist at the 2022 Beijing Games, was eliminated in the 1,000-metre preliminaries after falling in his heat following contact with Britain’s Niall Treacy. Officials ruled the contact incidental.
“We both went for a move. Maybe he thought that he had more speed, but I felt like he was a little bit too tight and a little bit too late on the overtake,” Treacy, who also failed to advance, said after the race.
Dandjinou and Roussel, both making their Olympic debuts, advanced by winning their preliminary heats. Roussel posted the fastest time of the round at 1:23.828, while Dandjinou clocked 1:24.672.
On the women’s side, Sarault, Boutin and Brunelle all moved through the 500-metre preliminaries. Sarault and Boutin won their heats, while Brunelle finished second in hers to reach the quarterfinals.
Medals in both individual events will be awarded Thursday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 10, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press