Hamelin wins gold in 1,000 metres and relay at short-track speedskating World Cup

TURIN, Italy – Charles Hamelin of Ste-Julie, Que., won gold for the second straight day on Sunday, topping the podium in the men’s 1,000-metre race at a short-track speedskating World Cup event.

Hamelin is in first in the overall standings of the short-track speedskating World Cup after winning the 1,000 metres in one minute 23.446 seconds, ahead of Russians Victor An (1:23.487) and Vladimir Grigorev (1:23.795).

Olivier Jean (1:23.817) of Lachenaie, Que., was fourth and Charle Cournoyer (1:27.811) of Boucherville, Que., was seventh.

Hamelin also won gold on Sunday as the anchor of Canada’s men’s 5,000-metre relay team. Hamelin, Jean, Michael Gilday, Francois Hamelin and Cournoyer were first in 6:44.799, followed by Russia (6:45.229) and the Netherlands (6:47.757).

In women’s competition, Canada’s relay team placed fourth in the 3,000-metre race. Jessica Gregg, Jessica Hewitt, Valerie Maltais and Marianne St-Gelais finished with a total time of 4:11.919.

Korea won gold in 4:10.600, followed by China (4:11.404) and Italy (4:11.844).

St-Gelais, from St-Felicien, Que., was the only Canadian to make it to the women’s 1,000-metre final. She took sixth place in 1:36.102. Koreans swept the podium with Suk Hee Shim, (1:25.223), Alang Kim (1:35.318) and Seung-Hi Park (1:59.828) earning medals.

Jessica Hewitt, from Kamloops, B.C., was 10th and Maltais of La Baie, Que., was 17th.