More heartache for skater Elise
SHORT track speed skater Elise Christie suffered Winter Olympics heartache for the second time in a week.
The Scot was shocked when, after seemingly winning her 1500 metres heat at the Iceberg Skating Palace, the race referee ruled she had not crossed the line.
The 23-year-old Scot put in a final burst which saw her edge Italy’s Arianna Fontana in a photofinish, but the referee spotted that she had skated centimetres inside the black finish line instead of over it and had therefore not registered a time.
Christie’s result was flagged up as DNF (did not finish), adding to the anguish she suffered on Thursday when she was disqualified in the final of the 500m for crashing into Fontana.
And Christie, fighting back the tears, then revealed she had also been the victim of threatening messages on social media following her 500m disqualification.
“I have had a few people threatening me,” she told the BBC. “It’s been a tough few days.”
Speaking about yesterday’s ruling, she added: “I’m gobsmacked. I’m finding it quite hard.”
GB short track coach Nicky Gooch, explaining the DNF ruling, said: “The referee has said Elise didn’t cross the line. She has crossed inside the finish line and he has ruled that that is off-track. Therefore he is saying she hasn’t finished the race.
“She (has) done nothing wrong in the race, tried to make sure she was nowhere near Arianna and get her on the line, but the referee has called off-track.
“It’s been called before but not something that normally happens. I was shocked. I looked at the video and you’re talking centimetres.”
There was more disappointment for Team GB in the next heat for 23-year-old Nottingham skater Charlotte Gilmartin, who finished fifth out of six.
British alpine skier Chemmy Alcott was crushed after finishing 23rd in the ladies’ Super-G in what is almost certain to be her last event at a Winter Olympics.
A time of one minute 29.14 seconds saw her finish 3.62secs adrift of gold medallist Anna Fenninger.
While Austria’s Fenninger won gold, pre- event favourite and super combined gold medallist Maria Hoefl-Riesch had to settle for silver and Austrian Nicole Hosp earned bronze after finishing a further 0.11secs back.
Charlotte Kalla produced a stunning last lap to propel Sweden to a gold medal in the women’s cross country 4x5km relay.
In the men’s ice hockey, USA beat Russia 3-2 following a dramatic penalty shoot-out.
In the opening quarter-final of the women’s tournament, Sweden sprang a surprise by beating Nordic neighbours Finland 4-2 and will now face the USA in the semis.