Girard, St.-Gelais put Canada on short-track World Cup podium in Calgary

A publicly-stated medal count defining success or failure could be considered bold. Not all team coaches or sport federations will do it lest it put more pressure on the athletes’ shoulders.

“We’re expected to win medals and at the (Olympic) Games, we want our athletes to be ready to perform under those expectations,” Canadian men’s team coach Derrick Campbell said Saturday.

“We started it last year and it was something we found they responded really well to.”

He added that the coaches didn’t come up with eight medals on their own, but in consultation with the athletes themselves.

“We want the athletes to be comfortable with them,” Campbell said. “We want the goals to be high. We want them to be attainable as well.”

St.-Gelais says the expectations on the team don’t burden her.

“I know we have a lot of expectations,” St.-Gelais said. “I think it’s OK because we have a great team out there. I think we can stand that pressure, but honestly number of medals doesn’t bother me.”

Girard, a 20-year-old from Ferland-et-Boileau, Que., jumped to the front off the start and held it for his second career World Cup victory in the 500 metres.

He was just under two-tenths of a second off the world record on the fast ice at Oval to win a medal.

“That was really the plan to attack the first corner, the first flat,” Girard said. “I had good position at the beginning and built speed. I know I can go fast.”

Wu Dajing of China and reigning Olympic champion Victor Ahn of Russia took silver and bronze respectively.

Triple Olympic gold medallist Charles Hamelin of Sainte-Julie, Que., was leading his quarter-final when he stepped on a turn marker and slid into the protective padding surrounding the oval.

“Falls are part of the sport and you have to deal with it,” Hamelin said. “For myself, it’s too bad I stepped on a block on my fourth corner and fell because of that.

“I will forget the 500 metre and focus on the 1,000 metres and the relay with the boys.”

Triple Olympic silver medallist St.-Gelais of St.-Felicien, Que., also crashed in the women’s 500-metre final, but was awarded silver behind winner Fan Kexin of China.

St.-Gelais went down in a tangle with Italy’s Arianna Fontana after coming in contact with Canadian teammate Kasandra Bradette attempting a pass.

“I tried a late pass as we call and it didn’t work the way I wanted,” Bradette said.

Fan and Bradette crossed the line first and second with St.-Gelais finishing a distant third. Bradette was disqualified, which moved St.-Gelais to silver.

“Kass did what she had to do,” St.-Gelais said. “Arianna was probably a little bit outside which is why she (caught) me in the fall.

“I was mad because of the circumstances. I’m here to win and I think that was my gold medal today, but the Chinese goes away with it. I’m a little bit disappointed because of that.”

Montreal’s Pascal Dion finished fourth in the men’s 1,500 metres behind winner Sjinkie Knegt of the Netherlands, runner-up Vladislav Bykanov of Israel and Russian bronze medallist Semen Elistratov.

South Koreans Shim Suk-hee and Minjeong Choi took gold and silver respectively in the women’s 1,500 metres. Suzanne Schulting of the Netherlands was third.

Kim Boutin of Sherbrooke, Que., and Marie-Eve Drolet of Saguenay, Que., were sixth and seventh respectively.

Canada’s men’s and women’s relay teams both qualified for Sunday’s finals.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Girard, St.-Gelais put Canada on short-track World Cup podium in Calgary

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