Boutin named flag-bearer at closing
PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — Short-track speedskater Kim Boutin of Sherbrooke, Que., who claimed a silver and two bronze medals in her Olympic debut, was named Canada’s flag-bearer for Sunday’s closing ceremony.
There was less joy on the ice as Ottawa’s Ivanie Blondin, a favourite to win a medal in the women’s mass start, crashed in her semifinal and was eliminated.
Meanwhile, cross-country skier Alex Harvey of St-Ferréol-lesNeiges, Que., came achingly close to the podium in what could be his last Olympic race, finishing fourth in the men’s 50-kilometre mass start.
Canada picked up a bronze medal with an entertaining win over the Czechs in the men’s hockey.
Just 24 hours after going down 4-3 to the unheralded Germans, things looked bleak after yet another sluggish Canadian start. But a flurry of first- and thirdperiod goals turned the tide Canada’s way.
“It feels unbelievable. It’s hard to put into words right now. I’m so happy,” forward Rob Klinkhammer said.
“Last night was obviously a letdown and it was super-tough to put that one way behind us. Everyone woke up pretty devastated just with our effort. I’m so proud of the guys for coming together and rallying like that 24 hours later.
“We had a great game, I thought everyone just bought into the system. I’m an Olympic medal winner now. I can’t believe it.”
Typically a third-place finish is no cause for celebration in Canadian hockey.
But in a tournament devoid of NHL stars, the blue-collar Canadians were all smiles while receiving their bronze medals. Players waved to those in the stands and also posed for a team picture.
Germany and a team of Russian players were competing for gold at the time of going to press.
While it was redemption for Team Canada on the ice, it was heartbreak for Harvey in crosscountry skiing. He was 6.1 seconds back of third-place finisher Andrey Larkov of the Olympic Athletes from Russia. Finland’s Iivo Niskanen won the race in two hours eight minutes 22.1 seconds while Russian Alexander Bolshunov took silver.
“It would have been easier finishing fifth or sixth than fourth. For me, it’s not a disappointment, except the position. The manner, the preparation, the execution, I’m proud of all that. … There’s no regrets, it’s the number that’s a bit bitter,” Harvey said. “That’s life, it’s not the end of the world for me.”
Meanwhile at the speedskating oval in Gangneung, Blondin crashed in the semifinal of mass start — which made its Olympic debut in Pyeongchang — wiping out two competitors in the process to wrap up her time in South Korea without a medal from four events.
“I’m distraught right now. It’s disappointing,” Blondin said after missing out on a medal in her favourite event. “Not being on the podium is disappointing.
“But it’s not going to stop me in the future.”
In other snowboarding competition, Canada was shut out of a medal in parallel giant slalom.
Jasey-Jay Anderson of Mont-Tremblant, Que., finished 24th in the 32-man field in one minute 26.76 seconds while Darren Gardner of Burlington, Ont., was 28th in 1:26.94. The top 16 competitors advanced to the afternoon elimination rounds.
The 42-year-old Anderson, who won a World Cup event a month ago, is the only Canadian to compete in six different Winter Olympics. He won gold at the Vancouver Games.
Anderson talked with reporters for 20 minutes after the qualification and didn’t mince words about what he felt was the inferior upkeep of the facility.
“I was expecting to have a good platform to be able to push off of and it was there for the first five gates and then it just went to hell,” he said.
“Nothing. So unfortunately I kept chattering on each toe side because it was bumpy. They all have rakes at each gate but they’re not using them.
“They’re just leaning up against them. They don’t know how. They’re very ill-prepared for this event. It’s unfortunate. It’s really, really unfortunate.”