Kristina Shumekova of Kazakhstan and Finn Sonnekalb of Germany secured victories at the recent ISU Junior World Speed Skating Championships held in Inzell.
ISU Skating, an international news outlet based in Switzerland, reported on the outcomes of the competition.
Kristina Shumekova made history as the first Kazakh athlete to win the ISU Junior World Champion title in speed skating. At 19 years old, she triumphed in three individual distances—the 500m, 1000m, and 1500m events—ultimately claiming the Allround Title. Shumekova, who entered the championships as a strong contender after winning the 1000m and 3000m Junior World Cups earlier in the season, overcame last year’s defending champion, Jeannine Rosner from Austria. Rosner, who had competed in the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, placed second overall while securing the 3000m event. Dutch skaters Jasmijn Veenhuis and Mette ten Cate finished third and fourth respectively in the women’s overall rankings.
On the men’s side, Finn Sonnekalb of Germany earned his second consecutive Junior World Allround Title by winning three individual distances—the 500m, 1000m, and 1500m. Despite an illness that impacted his performance at the Winter Olympics, Sonnekalb delivered strong races in Inzell, including a personal best in the 500m. Thijs Wiersma from the Netherlands finished second overall after a notable 5000m race, while Norway’s Eirik Andersen placed third in the overall standings. Vadim Chebardakov of Kazakhstan won the boys’ Mass Start event. Both Shumekova and Sonnekalb are set to advance to the senior category in the next season.
The championships also featured team events, with Shumekova and her teammates claiming the Team Sprint title for Kazakhstan, while Sonnekalb secured the Team Sprint alongside German teammates Ben-Luca Kleinke and Levente Engst. The Mixed Relay gold was won by Chinese athletes Liu Yunqi and Pan Baoshuo, rounding out the successful competition.
