2026 Olympic Short Track Speed Skating Women's 1000m Prediction
Updated July 9, 2026
The women’s 1000m short track speed skating event at the 2026 Winter Olympics is a huge oppotunity for those in the field. With Olympic champion Suzanne Schulting opting out of this distance, and a deep field led by World Tour leaders and seasoned medalists, it will be interesting to see who steps up on this stage to grab gold. Here, I break down the odds and the top contenders in this event and make my women's 1000m prediction on the short track ice.
As the women’s 1000m short track competition approaches its decisive stage, several key storylines are capturing attention. Most notably, reigning Olympic champion Suzanne Schulting of the Netherlands, who claimed gold in the event in both 2018 and 2022, is not entered in this distance at Milano Cortina, focusing instead on other distances. Her absence has dramatically reshaped the contest and the betting landscape, allowing new names to emerge as genuine gold medal threats.
Leading the charge is Canada’s Courtney Sarault, who heads the 2025‑26 ISU Short Track World Tour standings in this distance and overall. Her consistency across World Cup races this season positions her as a formidable favorite and likely leader in a tactical final. Sarault’s +200 odds reflect her recent form and World Tour dominance.
Also in the spotlight is Dutch skater Xandra Velzeboer, a multi‑distance threat and proven medalist at major championships. Although better known for her prowess in the shorter 500m event, where she recently set a world record and claimed Olympic gold in Milano, Velzeboer’s speed and tactical intelligence give her strong offensive tools in the 1000m as well.
Belgium’s Hanne Desmet will also be in the mix here, having claimed the world title in the 1000m during the 2025 World Championships. Her blend of race experience and sprint endurance makes her a likely podium contender and a mid‑range pick for value bettors.
The American duo of Corinne Stoddard and Kristen Santos‑Griswold has also shown flashes of top‑tier form, with Stoddard dominating multiple World Tour finals and Santos‑Griswold bringing title experience from global competitions. South Korea’s Choi Min‑jeong is a multiple Olympic medalist across short track disciplines and adds additional heat to the race if she hits her strategic marks on race day.
Italian veteran Arianna Fontana enters possibly her final Olympic short track campaign with massive home‑crowd support, though her odds sit well behind the lead pack. At 35 and with a storied Olympic career, her tactical savvy and psychological edge could play a role if she advances to the medal contention rounds.
Pick: Courtney Sarault ATS PRO
Confidence: 4/5
While short track speed skating is inherently unpredictable due to falls, penalties, and tight racing formations, Sarault’s season performance demonstrates a balance of speed, strategic pacing, and race execution that few others in this field have matched consistently. Her World Tour dominance in the 1000m suggests she has both the fitness and the positional instinct to navigate heats and semis without going down. I'll take the Canadian to win gold here, though nothing in short track ever feels easy.
