Sunday, February 24, 2002
Record haul for Canada
By STEVE BUFFERY -- Team Sun
SALT LAKE CITY -- The short track speed skaters kicked the Canadian Olympic team out of its funk here at the Winter Olympics, and right into the record books.
The squad's three medals last night at the Salt Lake Ice Center gives the Canucks 16 medals in total, not including the men's hockey team, which will earn a silver or gold this afternoon.
Canada posted a best-ever 15 medals four years ago in Nagano. The short track team recorded six medals at these Games alone. With the three last night, Canada moved into fourth place at these Games in total medals.
The Canadian Olympic Association picked its closing ceremony flag-bearers last night -- pairs gold-medallists Jamie Sale and David Pelletier.
But that decision was made before Marc Gagnon of Chicoutimi, Que., posted his third medal of the Games late last night, winning the men's 500-metre final and anchoring the Canadian men's 3,000-metre relay team to gold.
Gagnon fought hard to keep his composure during the playing of O Canada after his 500 victory, swallowing hard a number of times and closing his eyes on occasion. Quietly mouthing the words to the anthem, Gagnon managed to stay in control, although some tears formed in the corner of his eyes as the anthem ended.
It was poetic justice that the last member of the relay squad to cross the finish line in six minutes, 51.579 seconds, was Gagnon, who raised his arms in triumph. The other members of the Canadian team were Jonathan Guilmette of Montreal, Francois-Louis Tremblay of Boucherville, Que., and Mathieu Turcotte of Sherbrooke. Eric Bedard of St-Thecle, Que., also was awarded a medal as he skated in the semi-finals for Canada.
"Wow. We were very confident in winning, but we were very tired," Gagnon said. "We really pushed and got it."
The silver went to Italy in 6:56.327 while China secured the bronze in 6:59.633.
TYPICALLY CRAZY
The race was a typically crazed short track affair. With about 36 laps to go, Gagnon slid and took out a Chinese skater. Fortunately, Gagnon had already tagged out. And then with about 27 laps to go, the Americans crashed and the Canadian team then built an insurmountable lead.
Marie-Eve Drolet of Chicoutimi, Que., finished fourth in the women's 1,000-metre final, behind Yang Yang A and Yang Yang S of China. Drolet, 20, skated like a house on fire in the first women's 1,000-metre final, leading from start to finish. She captured the world junior championship title in 2000 and finished third in the 1,500 at the 2001 world championships in Seoul, Korea. Alanna Kraus, 24, of Abbotsford, B.C., finished third in the other semi and failed to qualify for the final.
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2002 Games Short Track Speed Skating Coverage
