PYEONGCHANG, Korea, Republic Of 鈥� sa国际传媒 raced to two medals in Olympic speedskating events on Saturday.
Samuel Girard raced to gold in the men鈥檚 1,000 metres 鈥� the only Olympic short-track event in which retiring veteran Charles Hamelin doesn鈥檛 own a medal 鈥� while Kim Boutin earned her second bronze of the Games in the women鈥檚 1,500.
Hamelin and Marianne St-Gelais, competing in their last Olympics, didn鈥檛 figure into Saturday鈥檚 medal races. St-Gelais was eliminated in her 1,500 semifinal after incurring a penalty in a second straight race, while Hamelin鈥檚 disqualification in the 1,000 semi actually advanced Girard into the final.
While the lack of individual results so far in Pyeongchang is disappointing for Hamelin, a three-time Olympic champion and four-time medallist who had set an Olympic record in 1,000 qualifying, and St-Gelais, who owns three Olympic silver medals, sa国际传媒鈥檚 first couple of short track has shown genuine enthusiasm for their medal-winning teammates, who are both Olympic debutantes.
St-Gelais, who has described herself as a 鈥渕other figure鈥� to Boutin, gave the 23-year-old from Sherbrooke Que., a joyful hug after her second straight third-place finish. After his win, Girard leapt into the pads surrounding the rink at the Gangneung Ice Arena, where Hamelin was waiting to give the 21-year-old from Ferland-et-Boilleau, Que., a playful slap on the helmet.
鈥淛ust before the race (Hamelin) said to me, 鈥橪et鈥檚 go, you can do this,鈥濃�� Girard said. 鈥淗e gave me a tap on the back. We train together, all the team was behind me on this medal.
鈥淗e would have loved to have this medal here, but he鈥檚 happy that I鈥檓 the one who has it,鈥� Girard added. 鈥淚t was a nice moment. It鈥檚 a bit of passing the torch, it鈥檚 a bit of that image.鈥�
As is often the case with short-track speedskating, the men鈥檚 1,000 final was a chaotic affair with the three competitors behind Girard and silver medallist John-Henry Krueger of the United States falling to the ice in a tangle.
Girard, who won in a time of one minute 24.65 seconds, skated at the front early in the race, a strategy that can have its risks but proved prudent on Saturday as it allowed him to avoid the crash.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to be there when those things happen,鈥� Girard said. 鈥淪o I really want to be in the front. That was my plan and I executed pretty well.鈥�
Seo Yira of South Korea emerged from the pileup to take bronze.
Boutin came out of a crowded field of seven competitors in the women鈥檚 1,500 final to take her second bronze in 2:25.834. South Korea鈥檚 Choi Minjeong won gold and China鈥檚 Li Jinyu skated to silver.
鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty unbelievable,鈥� Boutin said. 鈥淚t was a really hard race and it was pretty exciting. I feel like I did pretty well. It was a lot of work behind me, just making the final for me is a big bonus.
鈥淚 did it two times (now) so it鈥檚 unbelievable.鈥�
Boutin was subjected to hundreds of threatening social media messages after winning her 500-metre bronze and had to set her online accounts to private. She originally finished fourth in the race, but was promoted to third when Choi was disqualified for interfering with the Canadian.
The incident didn鈥檛 seem to affect her composure on Saturday as she crossed the line third, eliminating any room for dispute.
The Olympics aren鈥檛 over yet for Hamelin and St-Gelais. With several short-track events to go, both could go out as medallists. In fact, Hamelin could even join Cindy Klassen and Clara Hughes as the most decorated Canadian athletes in Olympic history if he reaches the podium in the men鈥檚 500-metres and 5,000-metre relay.
But no matter how the last events play out, Hamelin and St-Gelais will be the past after Pyeongchang, and they like what they see in the future.
鈥淚 really wish them well,鈥� St-Gelais said before the Games. 鈥淚t鈥檚 time for the face of short-track to change.鈥�