Speed skater Florence Brunelle captures her 1st individual World Tour title

Canadian speed skaters Florence Brunelle and Courtney Sarault won Short Track World Tour gold on Sunday in Tilburg, Netherlands.

Brunelle, from Trois-Rivieres, Que., finished first in the women's 500 metres for her first career individual World Tour title.

She crossed the line in 43.141 seconds, just ahead of Michelle Velzeboer (43.257) of the Netherlands and American Kristen Santos-Griswold (43.500).

A two-time world junior champion in the distance, Brunelle had won 500 silver in Beijing and Korea earlier this season, the first senior-level medals of her young career.

"I am extremely happy and proud. … I knew that gold was possible, but it's still important to make it happen," she told Speed Skating Canada. "I'm most happy about the way I achieved it.

"Lots of things have happened in the last month that could have destabalized me. But, in the end, I knew that what would be most beneficial for me was to stay in the moment."

WATCH | Brunelle adds to season medal haul in women's 500m:

Brunelle claims more Canadian gold at short track speed skating World Tour stop in Tilburg

Sarault, from Moncton, N.B., took top spot in the women's 1,500 final in two minutes 27.388 seconds.

Belgium's Hanne Desmet crossed the line first but missed out on gold after she was penalized for making contact with Arianna Fontana of Italy.

Sarault grabbed the lead midway through the race but was overtaken by Desmet from the outside with two laps remaining.

The 24-year-old Canadian crossed the finish line in 2:27.388 and was joined on the podium by Italy's Elisa Confortola (2:27.406) and Corinne Stoddard of the United States (2:27.525).

It is Sarault's first individual distance medal of the season, having missed the two World Tour stops in