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Quebec speed skater Marianne St-Gelais to miss Olympic trials

Marianne St-Gelais from Canada celebrates after winning the women's 500-metre final race at the ISU World Cup short-track speedskating competition in Montreal on Nov. 1, 2015. St-Gelais announced she will not be taking part in the 2018 Olympic trials after a fall earlier this week. Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017.
Marianne St-Gelais from Canada celebrates after winning the women's 500-metre final race at the ISU World Cup short-track speedskating competition in Montreal on Nov. 1, 2015. St-Gelais announced she will not be taking part in the 2018 Olympic trials after a fall earlier this week. Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017.

Short-track speed skater Marianne St-Gelais withdrew from the Canadian team trials on Saturday due to concussion symptoms.

St-Gelais was injured in a fall on Friday.

She will not take part in the five-team selections that opened on Saturday.

READ MORE: Canada’s Marianne St-Gelais skates to world championship gold

Under team selection rules, the double silver medallist from the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver can request a bye in order to compete at the 2018 games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

In a statement, St-Gelais called the injury disappointing.

READ MORE: Meet speed skater Marianne St-Gelais, one of Canada’s althletes in Sochi

“I was in great shape and at the top of my form going into this competition and I was ready to qualify through my performances on the ice,” the Saint-Felicien, Que., native said.

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“My health is the most important thing and I should not take any chances, so I will follow the protocol and the medical personnel’s instructions.”

“I will file a bye request and the Short Track High Performance Committee will make the decision on my Olympic participation. I had my best years after the (2014) Sochi Games, as I won my first world championship title and was second in the world overall last season. I know I belong at the Olympics, so I’m not worried about the fact that the decision lies in the committee’s hands.”

Courtney Sarault of Moncton, N.B., has been added to the group of 16 women who will take part in the competition.

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