Short-track veteran Olivier Jean to try is hand at long-track speedskating

MONTREAL – Short-track veteran Olivier Jean is trying his luck at long-track speedskating.

The Lachenaie, Que. native left Wednesday for Calgary to begin a training program ahead of the Canadian long-track team selection meet Oct. 22-25 at Calgary’s Olympic Oval.

“I’ve always wanted to have a real try at long-track and, at 31 years old, after finishing my degree and because we are still two years away from the 2018 Olympic Games, I believe this is the right time to go through a thorough evaluation, especially for the mass start event, which will be included for the first time in the Olympic program at the next Games,” he said in a statement.

Jean took part in a selection meet for the short-track team last weekend in Montreal. He qualified for the squad that will take part in the first four World Cup meets of the season, but gave up his spot to pursue his long-track adventure.

“Even if I’m very satisfied with my weekend’s performances, and even a little bit surprised considering I wasn’t in top shape after going through two months of rehabilitation, I decided to follow the plan that my coaches and I agreed to well before the trials,” said Jean, who was injured in a cycling accident during the summer.

He added he is not giving up short-track for good. The points he earned at the selection meet will count toward quaifying for the world championship team at the end of this season.

Jean won a gold medal in the men’s relay at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver and also skated at the 2014 games in Sochi, Russia.

Three men and three women earned berths on the short-track team from their performances at the trails. There were no surprises.

Multiple Olympic medallist Charles Hamelin of Ste-Julie, Que., rising prospect Samuel Girard of Ferland-et-Boileau, Que., and Jean qualified for the men while Olympic medallists Marianne St-Gelais of Ste-Julie and Valerie Maltais of La Baie, Que., as well as 20-year-old Kim Boutin of Sherbrooke, Que., made the women’s squad.

The coaching staff will select another three men and three women for the World Cup meets, which begin with events Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 in Montreal and Nov. 6-8 in Toronto.