Hamelin shows he has lots left
Canadian wins world overall title days after delaying his retirement
MONTREAL— There wasn’t much Charles Hamelin hadn’t won in his short track speed skating career, and now he can add overall world champion to his list of accomplishments.
The Ste. Julie, Que., skater claimed his second gold medal of the three-day world championships with a victory in the 1,000-metre race on Sunday to help clinch the overall title before a roaring home crowd at the packed Maurice Richard Arena.
“Just to be able to share this with my home crowd and my family and friends is incredible,” said Hamelin. “It’s been 15 years and to finally get it is unbelievable.
“My goal was always to win that every year, but world short track is tough. To do it here was the greatest gift you can give to me.”
The 33-year-old became the first Canadian to take the overall title since Marc Gagnon of Chicoutimi, Que. in 1998.
Hamelin, who has won five Olympic medals as well as 11 gold and 34 total world championship medals, had planned to retire after this season, but he announced this week he would stay on for at least one more season.
He felt coming out of the Pye- ongchang Olympics less than a month ago that he was skating as well as ever and saw no reason to stop.
Then he showed his strong form at the worlds, winning the 1,500-metre event on Saturday, taking gold in the1,000 and adding silver in the men’s relay.
“I feel I can accomplish other things on the Canadian and international level, and I want to be around the short track world and help the kids that are coming on the team,” he said. “I want to show them the way to do things right and bring them to a high level so they can at some point live what I’m living now — being overall world champion.
“I don’t want it to be another 20 years to see a Canadian hav- ing that title.”
Hamelin finished well ahead of Shaolin Sandor Liu of Hungary and Hwang Dae Huon of South Korea in overall standings. South Korean standout Choi Min Jeong took her third women’s title. The world championships were the last event for Hamelin’s brother François and for Marianne St-Gelais of St-Felicien, Que., the long-time star of the women’s team.
St-Gelais was shut out of the medals in individual events but snagged a bronze in her last race, the 3,000-metre relay, with teammates Kim Boutin of Sherbrooke, Que., Valerie Maltais of Saguenay, Que. and Kasandra Bradette, also of St-Felicien.