Laurent Dubreuil

Biography

At Beijing 2022, Laurent Dubreuil overcame the disappointment of missing the 500m podium by just 0.03 of a second to win silver in the 1000m a few days later. That was the first career Olympic medal for the skater who had established himself as one of the world’s top sprinters in long track speed skating. 

In 2020, Dubreuil returned to the podium at the World Single Distances Championships for the first time in five years, winning bronze in the 1000m. Two weeks later he won the overall silver medal at the World Sprint Championships. He finished the season ranked third overall in both the 500m and 1000m World Cup standings.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020-21 season was shortened to just two World Cups and the World Single Distances Championships. But Dubreuil made the most of the limited opportunities to compete. He won medals in three of the four 500m World Cup races, along with one 1000m bronze. He then captured 500m gold at the World Single Distances Championships, becoming Canada’s first world champion in the event since 2008, and won his second straight world bronze medal in the 1000m.

Dubreuil maintained his momentum in the fall of 2021. He did not miss the podium in any of the eight pre-Olympic 500m World Cup races, winning two gold, two silver, and four bronze medals. In December, on home ice in Calgary, he smashed the national record in the 500m that had stood since 2007, becoming the first Canadian to go under the 34-second mark. His time of 33.77 seconds was the second-fastest all-time in the event. He finished the season as the overall World Cup champion in the 500m. 

At the 2022 World Sprint Championships, Dubreuil led the standings after the first day of competition, but he was forced to withdraw when he tested positive for COVID-19.  

It was back in 2014-15 that Dubreuil had his international breakthrough when he won 500m bronze at the World Single Distances Championships, earned his first World Cup medals, and finished second in the 500m World Cup standings. That success led to him sharing Speed Skating Canada’s Long Track Male Athlete of the Year with Denny Morrison. 

The year before, Dubreuil had missed qualifying for Sochi 2014 in the 500m by 0.05 of a second. That disappointment made him reevaluate every aspect of his training and the decisions he made about his sport, making him a better athlete. He won his first individual World Cup gold medal in the 500m at the 2017-19 season opener in Heerenveen and made his Olympic debut in PyeongChang a few months later.    

Growing up with two Olympian parents, Dubreuil had a good deal of early success. He competed at three world junior championships, winning 500m silver in 2011 followed by gold in 2012 when he also claimed bronze in the 1000m. He set the junior world record for the 2x500m while winning his world junior title. It was also in 2011 that he won five medals, including three gold, at the Canada Winter Games and was named Speed Skating Canada’s Long Track Rising Star of the Year. 

A little more about Laurent 

Getting into the Sport: Started skating at age 4 on his backyard rink built by Olympian father Robert, who competed in long track at Albertville 1992 and short track as a demonstration sport at Calgary 1988… His mother Ariane Loignon is also an Olympian in long track from Calgary 1988… When he was younger he had no idea that his parents skated at such a high level; at age 6 or 7, his mom tried to give him some technical advice and he told her he wouldn’t listen to her because she didn’t even know how to skate… Outside Interests: Enjoys playing with his daughter, video games, golf, watching sports on TV… Studying communications part time at Laval University, with a goal of eventually working with the media… Odds and Ends: Missed three months of training in 2009 with a major back injury and continues to incorporate hours of stretching and core exercises into his daily routine… Inspired by Gaétan Boucher (for paving the way and popularizing speed skating in Canada) and Roger Federer (for acting with respect no matter the outcome of his matches)…