A cool experience for Desmet siblings

So many siblings play sports alongside each other, only a few make it to the Olympics together and, rarer still, are those who reach the podium at the same Games.

Belgian short-track speed skater Hanne Desmet and her younger brother Stijn Desmet, despite being virtually unknown to most of the world, have sent out a strong statement over the weekend in Beijing on their ambition — to reach Milano-Cortina 2026 and join the celebrated minority of Olympic medal-winning siblings.

And, they've backed up that aspiration, big time, with a fruitful world championships campaign in the Chinese capital.

On a dream day for the Desmet family, Hanne, a 28-year-old two-time European champion, leaned on her explosive race craft to finally come out on top at the global showpiece and win Belgium's first gold at the worlds in the women's 1,000m on Saturday, just an hour after watching her brother Stijn power to his own first medal at the worlds, a silver in the 1,500m.

For years, a serious contender in 1,000m, Hanne Desmet picked the right place to peak. Racing once more at Beijing's Capital Indoor Stadium — where she had to settle for a bronze in the same distance at the 2022 Olympics — she went some way to exorcising any regrets, while serving herself a much-needed confidence boost with her second Games just around the corner.

"A great day for Team Desmet," the elder sibling said with a huge smile. "It's amazing to share this moment with my brother. It makes it so much more exciting that we did it together."

"We skated together, we are getting results together, and I think we are more nervous for each other than we are for ourselves. It makes it so much more fun," said Hanne, who won her first worlds medal, a silver, in the same distance in 2021.

Stijn Desmet, who is two years Hanne's junior, yet started skating first, capped off what would be an otherwise disappointing season on a high note in Beijing, as he held on in a fiercely battled 1,500m Final A to cross line right behind the uncatchable William Dandjinou, Canada's freshly-minted Crystal Globe winner for the World Tour season.

The career-first medal at his 7th worlds came after he had completed the World Tour season with perhaps his worst finish in five years, failing to make the podium across six legs.

"It's a pretty big boost. I could use a boost after many hard races this season," he said. "I was struggling to make it to the final rounds (on the tour). So, I was happy to make the final today, and it's a lot of fun to skate at a nice venue with the best skaters."

He attributed much of his Beijing turnaround to the inspiration from his sister.

"I am very proud of her. She knows," said Stijn, who has been training alongside Hanne in Canada in the buildup to the 2026 Olympics.