Canadian short-track speed skater Charles Hamelin was eliminated from the Olympic men’s 1,000-metre short track event Saturday after falling in the quarter-finals.
The 29-year-old native of Sainte-Julie, Que. lost his balance heading around a corner and took out American skater Eduardi Alvarez as he slid into the boards.
Hamelin, who took home the gold in the 1,500-metre race earlier at the Sochi Winter Games, was considered to be a medal contender in the 1,000-metre event.
READ MORE: Charles Hamelin wins gold in men’s 1500-metre Olympic short track event
Two other Canadians, Olivier Jean of Lachenaie, Que., and Charle Cournoyer of Boucherville, Que., also failed to advance out of the quarter-finals in the 1,000-metre.
Hamelin was also part of the Canadian men’s relay team that crashed in the semi-finals of the men’s 5000-metre short track event, and failed to qualify for the finals on Thursday.
In the women’s 1,500-metre event, Canadians Marie-Eve Drolet and Valerie Maltais qualified for the quarter-finals.
Marianne St-Gelais of Saint-Felicien, Que., placed fourth in her heat and failed to advance. For St-Gelais it’s another disappointing day in Sochi, after failing to advance in the 500-metres earlier in the week.
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