Hamelin strikes podium twice at short track worlds
Charles Hamelin won a silver in the 1000m, then finished fourth in the 3000m Super Final to conclude World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Moscow, Russia on Sunday.
The 30-year-old was aiming to collect the most points, and win his first world title, but could not do so. Hamelin finishes the competition fourth overall, with 45 points.
However, he leaves Russia with two individual medals. In Sunday’s 1000m, Hamelin won the silver by bringing the race down to the wire, eventually edged by Korea’s Park Se Yeong. China’s Shi Jingnan was third.
“I’m a little disappointed with only getting the silver,” said Hamelin . “I was on my way to a gold medal when the two Koreans teamed up, sacrificing one so the other could win. One pushed me in the last turn (Sin Da Woon, who was penalized) and I ended up second.”
“It’s the only distance where I haven’t won the world title yet and I would have liked to do it today. I have three years to make it up. Still, I’m pretty satisfied with how I’ve done at these World Championships.”
From left, silver medallist Charles Hamelin, of Canada, gold medallist Park Se Yeong, of Korea, and bronze medallist Shi Jingnan, of China, pose with their medals for men’s the 1000m race at the short track world championships, in Moscow, Russia, on Sunday, March 15, 2015. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
Only the top eight skaters based on individual points advanced to the 3000m Super Final. Hamelin was among the lead group with his fourth place, crossing the finish line behind winner Sjinkie Knegt (NED), Park Se Yeong (KOR), and Wu Dajing (CHN) in that order.
Sherbrooke’s Kim Boutin earned Canada’s highest placements on Sunday. She was fourth in the 1000m and the only Canadian woman to enter the 3000m Super Final, where she was fifth. Boutin, a world champs rookie, was seventh in the overall classification ahead of Olympic veteran Marianne St-Gelais who was 11th.
Saturday
Charles Hamelin won a bronze medal in the men’s 1500m, with Saturday’s finals complete at the World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Moscow, Russia.
The 1500m final was incredibly close. Semen Elistratov of Russia won, followed by Sjinkie Knegt of the Netherlands. The podium spots were decided by blade-thin margins, with 21 1/1000ths of a second separating winner Elistratov and Canada’s Hamelin.
From left, silver medallist Sjinkie Knegt of the Netherlands, gold medallist Semen Elistratov of Russia, and bronze medallist Charles Hamelin of Canada, pose with their medals during the short track world championships, in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, March 14, 2015. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
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With the bronze, Hamelin collects 13 points counting to the overall title. He won the 1500m at last year’s Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Hamelin has never won a world title and has made it clear he wants to do so this weekend.
Hamelin fell in the 500m semifinal later on Saturday, then finished second in the B Final for another three points. After the individual 500m and 1500m Hamelin sits fifth overall with 16 points. Russian Semen Elistratov leads the way with 36 points. There is still the 1000m on Sunday, and if Hamelin remains top eight he’ll qualify for the 3000m Super Final.
On the women’s side, world champs rookie Kim Boutin was the only Canadian woman to qualify for the 1500m final. The 20-year-old finished 7th in the 1500m final. Olympic veteran Marianne St-Gelais won the B Final. Later, both Kasandra Bradette and St-Gelais were kept out of the 500m A Final, they were third and second respectively in the B Final.
Neither Canadian relay team, men’s or women’s made it through to the A Final on Sunday.
