Short track team adds Gagnon as assistant

Canada's national short track speedskating team, which will be guided by newly installed head coach Sébastien Cros, has added five-time Olympic medallist Marc Gagnon as an assistant.

Gagnon made his Olympic debut at Lillehammer 1994, where he won bronze in the 1,000m. He added gold in the 5,000m relay at Nagano 1998, then capped his Olympic career at Salt Lake City 2002 with gold in the 500m and relay, as well as bronze in the 1,500m.

The 45-year-old native of Chicoutimi, Que., moved into coaching in 2010 at the Canadian Regional Training Centre in Montreal, and has worked with several skaters who have moved onto the national team. Cros has been involved with the national team and the NextGen program since 2007.

“I'm looking forward to collaborating with one of the world's greatest short track coaches, Sébastien Cros,” Gagnon said. “Sebastien and I share the same ideas and to support him in his vision of developing the key skills needed for international success motivates me enormously ... I am dedicated to giving young people the tools necessary so that they, too, have the chance to achieve their dreams.”

Gagnon won 28 world championship medals and the overall title four times. He was named to the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame

Marc Gagnon