Canadian short track speed skater Dandjinou wants to 'dominate' sport

Canadian short track speed skater William Dandjinou is sensing that this is a crucial moment for his sport — and in his career.

Dandjinou, a Sherbrooke, Que., native, alongside nine other Canadian skaters, are preparing to take to the ice this weekend in Montreal at iconic Maurice Richard Arena for the first stop in a new series aimed at drawing more attention to the sport.

"This is the most important weekend of the year for me. Well, maybe second most important because the world championships will be massive," Dandjinou told CBC Sports.

"But it sets the tone. It's at home. There will be huge crowds. As a team we want to showcase who we are. We want to affirm that we're still here and here to win."

Dandjinou, 23, had a breakout season last year. He's the defending world champion in the 1,000 metres and also won the national title in September.

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And while there might be great expectations for him this season, Dandjinou isn't feeling the pressure.

"It's always hard to repeat a good year. There are expectations. I don't like that word though. I prefer aspirations," he said. 

"Expectations, there's a weight to it. The mental part of the game is something I can control. Expectation is not a good word. Aspirations [is better]."

If you spend just a little bit of time with Dandjinou it becomes apparent he's very thoughtful about everything he does in life and sport. He thinks about the mental aspect of skating all the time. He loves to get into the intricate details of every part of his races. 

He visualizes them and spends a lot of time with his sports psychologist to master his craft. 

"I want to succeed. My goal is to dominate the sport. I feel like I'm coming into my golden time in the sport. Short track is not a guarantee. You can fall. There are so many unknowns and a lot of anxiety. The goal is just to stay in the present."

It's all the uncertainty that comes with zipping around the ice with other skaters, chaotic at times, Dandjinou says he loves about short track speed skating.

He said it is the beauty of the sport and that it's the closest thing to real life.