Kim BOUTIN

MOTIVATION STRUGGLES
Questioned her desire to continue competing following the retirement of her national teammate Samuel Girard in May 2019. Girard won Olympic gold medal in PyeongChang 2018, but quit at age 22, after deciding he was happy with what he had achieved in the sport. His choice affected Boutin, who is two years older, and she began to question her commitment. National coach Frederic Blackburn (CAN) eventually talked her out of retirement, and the pair decided she would benefit from training in the Netherlands.

"It's normal to have other goals, and for myself, I feel sometimes that I want to be more with my family, or that I want to do something else with my life. I needed to reconnect with myself. Did I want to continue speed skating? Did I have something more to accomplish?" (cbc.ca, 8 Nov 2019)

OLYMPIC ABUSE
Received abuse and death threats after winning bronze in the 500m at the PyeongChang 2018, as a result of Choi Min-Jeong’s (KOR) disqualification for touching Boutin’s knee. Korean fans, unhappy with the outcome, posted abuse to Boutin’s social media including threats such as, ""If I find you, you will die,"" followed by knife emojis. Closed her accounts while the incident was investigated by Korean police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

“I cried a lot because I was scared. It was pretty tough. I'm a sensitive person.""

Korean police ultimately tracked down three youths responsible, but Boutin declined pressing charges, instead asking police to deliver a letter she had written explaining the impact of their threats. (olympics.cbc.ca, 17 Feb 2018; plus.lapresse.ca, 5 Jul 2018)

© Data by Sports Data Warehouse

Won bronze in 500m at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games; finished sixth in mixed team relay and 10th in 1500m.

Became the first Canadian short track skater to win three individual medals at a single Olympic Winter Games, after her silver (1000m) and two bronze (500m, 1500m) medals at PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

The fourth Canadian athlete and second Canadian woman to win at least three medals at a single Winter Games, and the second woman to medal in all three individual short track speed skating events at one Winter Games.

The second Canadian woman to win at least four Olympic medals in short track.