The Sherbrooke native retires with a record six Olympic medals and 16 World Championship podiums

MONTREAL, QUEBEC – Kim Boutin’s legendary short track speed skating career came to an emotional end on Sunday, as the 31-year-old raced for the final time in front of a sellout crowd at ISU World Short Track Championships in Montreal.

Following the medal ceremonies, Boutin was joined on ice by her family and teammates for celebration, followed by a formal send-off by representatives from Speed Skating Canada. She tearfully addressed the crowd at the Maurice Richard Arena to say one final goodbye.

“I received so much love today, not only for my career, but also for the person that I am. I let myself experience all my emotions and I absorbed all the love. It’s beautiful to see the spark in the eyes of the young fans. It’s beautiful to see my teammates, who are sad to see me leave.”

Kim Boutin


Credit: Antoine Saito, Speed Skating Canada

Boutin hit the ice in two distances over the course of the weekend, finishing fourth in the 3000m women’s relay on Saturday and 10th in the in the 500m. The results to conclude the long and emotionally draining 2025-26 season were not representative of how well Boutin has performed over the course of her decade long run as a member of Canada’s national team.

“I don’t think I’ve ever skated with such strong emotions. To have an ovation like that before my race, I’d never experienced anything like it. It was a very special feeling. I had to take a few breaths because I was so emotional every time I looked into the crowd and saw my family and all the fans cheering me on.”

Kim Boutin

The Sherbrooke native represented Canada at the three Olympic Games, winning six a record tying six medals along the way. She won a medal in each individual distance at PyeongChang 2018, earning silver in the 1000m and bronze in both the 500m and 1500m. She returned to the 500m podium at Beijing 2022, winning bronze, and capped off her Olympic career with a pair of relay medals at Milano-Cortina 2026, bronze in the 3000m women’s relay and silver in the 2000m mixed relay.

Boutin was chosen as Canada’s flag bearer for the closing ceremonies at her first Games in PyeongChang, joining short track icon Nathalie Lambert as the only other Canadian skater to receive that honour.

Outside of the Olympic stage, Boutin was a consistent podium performer. She captured an impressive 79 medals on the World Cup circuit and won 16 World Championship medals, including the 500m world title in 2024. She also became the first woman to break the 42-second barrier in the 500m when she set a new World Record in the distance in 2019.

Beyond the podium performances, Boutin’s greatest legacy was teaching the world that an elite athlete’s worth isn’t solely found in gold medals. She was brave enough to step away from the sport when she needed to so that she could focus on her mental well-being. She often demonstrated resilience and an unwavering pursuit of balance in a world of high performance sport that often demands only perfection.

“I loved my career so much. I’m happy to leave it behind and to have made such wonderful memories over these past few years”

Kim Boutin

Quotes

“On behalf of the entire Canadian speed skating community, I want to congratulate Kim Boutin on an incredible career. We are extremely proud of all that she accomplished on the ice, and at the person that she has grown into off the ice. She represented Canada so well on the international stage and her impact on the sport in Quebec, in Canada and across the world is unmatched. She has been a role model for so many young skaters, as well as a mentor to those who got to share the ice with her on Team Canada over the last decade. We wish her all the best as she transitions into a career outside of high performance sport – we know she will go on to do great things.”

Joe Morissette, Chief Executive Officer, Speed Skating Canada

“Kim Boutin has been an inspiration to athletes at all levels way beyond the borders of Canada, for all that she has achieved in Short Track. Her impact, skill, incredible resilience and sporting success across well over a decade of high performance on the global stage has been significant and being so prolific as to win six Olympic medals leaves a brilliant and long-lasting legacy in our sport. Congratulations on a fantastic career.”

Jae Youl Kim, President, International Skating Union