Kim Boutin

Canadian speed skater (born 1994) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kim Boutin (French pronunciation: [butɛ̃]; born December 16, 1994) is a Canadian short track speed skater. Boutin won silver in the 1,000 m and bronze in the 500 m and 1,500 m events at the 2018 Winter Olympics at Pyeonchang, Korea. She was the first Canadian female short track speed skater to win three individual Olympic medals in a single Olympics and the first Canadian woman to win an Olympic medal in the 1,500 m.[2] As a result of her three medal performance she was named the flag bearer for Canada at the closing ceremonies for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Boutin has also won junior and senior world championships and World Cup medals.[3][4]

Born (1994-12-16) December 16, 1994 (age 31)
Height1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight58 kg (128 lb)[1]
CountryCanada
Quick facts Personal information, Born ...
Kim Boutin
Boutin in 2017
Personal information
Born (1994-12-16) December 16, 1994 (age 31)
Height1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight58 kg (128 lb)[1]
Sport
CountryCanada
SportShort track speed skating
ClubCPV Sherbrooke
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)500 m: 41.936 WR (2019)
1000 m: 1:28.788 (2017)
1500 m: 2:18.474 (2016)
3000 m: 5:00.068 (2018)
Medal record
Women's short track speed skating
Representing  Canada
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 0 2 4
World Championships 3 6 8
World Junior Championships 0 1 0
Total 3 9 12
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place2018 Pyeongchang1000 m
Silver medal – second place2026 Milano CortinaMixed 2000 m relay
Bronze medal – third place2018 Pyeongchang500 m
Bronze medal – third place2018 Pyeongchang1500 m
Bronze medal – third place2022 Beijing500 m
Bronze medal – third place2026 Milano Cortina3000 m relay
World Championships
Gold medal – first place2024 Rotterdam500 m
Gold medal – first place2025 Beijing3000 m relay
Gold medal – first place2025 Beijing2000 m mixed relay
Silver medal – second place2019 Sofia1500 m
Silver medal – second place2022 MontrealOverall
Silver medal – second place2022 Montreal500 m
Silver medal – second place2022 Montreal1000 m
Silver medal – second place2022 Montreal1500 m
Silver medal – second place2022 Montreal3000 m relay
Bronze medal – third place2018 Montreal1500 m
Bronze medal – third place2018 Montreal3000 m relay
Bronze medal – third place2019 SofiaOverall
Bronze medal – third place2019 Sofia1000 m
Bronze medal – third place2019 Sofia3000 m relay
Bronze medal – third place2023 Seoul1500 m
Bronze medal – third place2023 Seoul3000 m relay
Bronze medal – third place2024 Rotterdam3000 m relay
Close

On November 3, 2019, she set a new world-record time of 41.936 seconds in the women's 500m event, becoming the first woman to skate the 500 in under 42 seconds.[5]

Career

2018 Winter Olympics

Boutin participated as part of Canada's team at the 2018 Winter Olympics.[6][7] She came in 4th in the Women's 500 m, but following the judge's disqualification of South Korean Choi Min-jeong who finished 2nd in a photo finish, Boutin was awarded the bronze. Reports initially suggested the disqualification was due to contact with race winner Arianna Fontana but were later stated to be due to earlier contact with Boutin.[8] The following day, it was announced that Boutin had been receiving negative comments from South Koreans, including reports of death threats.[9] The Canadian Olympic Committee took the threats very seriously and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were investigating the incidents. It was an emotional and painful experience for the skater, and upon receiving her medal, she was photographed in tears. She said later of it all that "it was pretty tough. I'm a sensitive person."[10]

Boutin started in the 1,500 m heats with the threats still looming over her. She said that "of course, it scared me, and just after my warm-up, I cried. I cried a lot because I was scared. But I have a pretty awesome team behind me." She would put that fear behind her in the final of the 1,500 m when she skated out in front and led the pack until the second last lap when she was passed by Choi but hung on for the bronze medal.[11][12][10] This was her second individual medal of the games and made her the first female Canadian short track speed skater to win two individual medals in a single Olympics.[10] Boutin would go on to win silver in the 1,000m race a few days later, earning a medal in all three individual distances.[13] The Canadian team made the relay finals but after being tripped up by the Korean team and the chaos that followed the Canadian women finished off the Olympic relay podium for the first time ever. As a result of her three individual short track medals, the first time ever by a Canadian female short track speed skater, Boutin was named the flag bearer for the closing ceremonies.[14]

2022 Winter Olympics

On January 18, 2022, Boutin was named to Canada's 2022 Olympic team.[15][16][17][18] At the Olympics, Boutin won the bronze medal in the 500 metres event, matching her performance from four years prior.[19] Later in the season, Boutin would win a silver medal in the 500 m and 1500 m at the 2022 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships.[20]


2026 Winter Olympics

On December 17, 2025, Boutin was named to Canada's 2026 Olympic team.[21][22][23] In February 2026, she won a silver medal in the mixed 2000-metre relay.[24]

References

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