Marianne St. Gelais fails to make final in 500-metre short-track race

SOCHI, Russia – Canada’s Marianne St. Gelais won’t have a chance to win another medal in the Olympic 500-metre short-track speedskating event.

The native of St-Felicien, Que., finished third in the semifinals Thursday. Only the top two skaters advanced.

St. Gelais, who won a silver medal in the 500 in Vancouver four years ago, had a challenging start position in the outside lane. She finished in 44.069 seconds, behind Seung-Hi Park of South Korea (43.611) and Italy’s Arianna Fontana (43.624).

Britain’s Elsie Christie won the second semifinal in 43.837 while China’s Li Jianrou was second in 43.841.

Jessica Hewitt of Kamloops, B.C., and Valerie Maltais of La Baie, Que., didn’t make the semis.

Park is trying to give South Korea a victory in the only short track event it has never won. If she does, the nation would be the first to win all eight Olympic short track events.

The final was scheduled for later Thursday at the Iceberg Skating Palace.

Meanwhile, all three Canadians won their heats in the men’s 1,000 metre event.

Charles Hamelin of Sainte-Julie, Que., a gold medallist in the 1,500 metre race, will race in the quarter-finals on Saturday along with Charle Cournoyer of Boucherville, Que., and Olivier Jean of Lachenaie, Que.

— With files from The Associated Press