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SOCHI, Russia – Canada’s Charles Hamelin claimed his third Olympic gold medal when he won the men’s 1500m short track speed skating title on Monday.
Hamelin, 29, led from the front for most of the race to snatch the gold in 2:14.985 ahead of 17-year-old Han Tianyu of China, who took silver in 2:15.055. Victor Ahn, 28, gave hosts Russia their first ever Olympic short track medal with bronze in 2:15.062.
Filipino-American JR Celski barely missed a medal with a fourth place finish with a time of 2:15.624.
Hamelin added to his gold in the 500m and the 5000m relay in the 2010 Vancouver Games having also won silver in the 5000m relay in Turin 2006.
“It’s even better when you win against those legends of the sport,” said Hamelin of Ahn.
It was a fifth Olympic medal for Ahn, formerly known as Ahn Hyun-Soo, who won gold in the 1000m, 1500m and 5000m relay for South Korea in 2006, before switching nationalities after failing to qualify for Vancouver.
Getting gold in a third discipline made up for Hamelin’s failure to medal over the distance in Vancouver.
“For me, and even more for Canada the gold in the 1500m is really important because we wanted to show the world that the little disappointment we had in Vancouver in that distance we can overcome it and all the work I have done with my coaches and my teammates has paid off.”
Ahn said he was happy to find himself on the Olympic podium again.
“My condition was not perfect so I’m glad I got the bronze medal on the first day of competition and in the first event. I think I’ll approach the other distances much cooler,” he said.
It was a first medal for Han in any event.
“It’s my first Olympic Winter Games, I’m a little bit nervous,” he said. “I didn’t think very much. I never thought I could make it to the finals, let alone stand on the podium. I took every round as my final, and tried my best to compete.”
Britain’s Jack Whelbourne crashed in the final, while China’s Chen Deguan and Lee Han-Bin of South Korea finished fifth and sixth, respectively.
Neither 2010 gold medallist Lee Jung-su of South Korea nor silver medallist Apolo Anton Ohno of the United States were competing in Sochi.
Meanwhile, there will be a much-anticipated rematch in the ladies 3000m short track relay after Monday’s semi-finals.
South Korea was disqualified at the Vancouver 2010 Games, handing victory to China and the two teams qualified to meet again in the final along with Canada and Italy. – Rappler.com
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