REDDITCH speed skating star Charlotte Gilmartin turned on the style to win a 1,500m bronze medal at the fifth World Cup Short Track event of the season in Dresden.
Saturday’s success in Germany came hot on the heels of the 26-year-old’s 500m bronze medal at January’s European Championships in Torino, Italy, and Gilmartin told the Standard she was delighted with her recent exploits.
“I have had my most consistent season this year, making the A final of the 1,500m for the last four consecutive World Cups, so I’m delighted that I managed to come away with a medal at the last World Cup in Germany,” said the former Arrow Vale High School pupil.
“With picking up a medal at the European Championships a few weeks prior in the 500m (first medal in that distance), my confidence has been growing.
“I’ve been able to relax and enjoy the racing which is when I can perform at my best! With just a few weeks of the season left, I want to leave everything I have out there on the ice and enjoy every minute.
“I’m feeling ecstatic about picking up my second bronze medal of the season. I feel like I am going in the right direction for next year and towards the end of this season I feel like I am peaking, so I am in a really good place.”
Gilmartin, currently in Minsk, Belarus, preparing for this weekend’s final World Cup of the season, posted a time of 2.28.187 to finish behind Canada’s victorious Kim Boutin and Rianne de Vries of the Netherlands in the 1,500m final in Dresden.
Her first World Cup medal of the season at the EnergieVerbund Arena proved enough to lift her from seventh to fourth place in the 1,500m rankings.
Gilmartin, who captained the Great Britain team in Germany in the absence of Scottish star Elise Christie, was also quick in the 500m in Germany although this time a medal eluded her.
In Sunday’s quarter-finals – the fastest last eight contest of the event – Gilmartin was unable to get ahead of the two Canadian skaters Marianne St-Gelais and Kasandra Bradette, putting her out of the running for a medal.
Gilmartin added: “After Belarus I will travel home for three weeks of training to be in perfect condition for the World Championships in Holland (March 10-12).
“Then it will be a case of resting before pre-season training for the Olympic season.”
