SOCHI, Russia - Charles Hamelin of Sainte-Julie, Que., earned a gold medal in a World Cup short-track speedskating event Saturday.
Hamelin captured a men's 500-metre event for his eighth medal in nine individual races this season and second gold.
Hamelin was second through most of the final behind China's Dajing Wu. But Hamelin managed to kick his foot out at the finish to post a winning time of 41.092 seconds. Wu settled for second in 41.095 with Russian Vladimir Grigorev third in 41.165.
“In the 500, I usually lead or I'm second, but in the first lap I will pass to make sure I'm leading for the reminder of the race," he said. "Today I was second right off the start and I tried to make a pass after two-and-a-half laps, but without success.
"I knew my last chance was going to be at the finish and I took that chance. We finished the race and I waited impatiently for the result. I got the gold medal.”
Vincent Cournoyer, of Boucherville, Que., was 11th while Olivier Jean, of Lachenaie, Que., finished 15th overall.
Marianne St. Gelais, of Saint-Felicien, Que., was fifth in the women's event while Gabrielle Waddell of Red Deer, Alta., was sixth and Caroline Truchon of Chicoutimi, Que., was seventh.
Charle Cournoyer of Boucherville, Que., was ninth in the men's 1,500-metre event while Guillaume Bastille of Riviere-du-Loup, Que., was 12th.
Valerie Maltais of La Baie, Que., finished seventh in the women's 1,500-metre race while Jessica Hewitt of Kamloops, B.C., was eighth and Marie-Eve Drolet of Laterriere, Que., was 16th.
The women's relay team of Drolet, Hewitt, Maltais and St. Gelais was second to Korea in the semifinal round but still qualified for the final.
