Canada’s Marianne St-Gelais first overall at short-track world championships

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands — Canada’s Marianne St-Gelais won silver medals in the 500 metres and 1,500 metres at the world short-track speedskating championships on Saturday, and is tied for first overall following the first two events.

Samuel Girard stands third after a silver medal in the 1,500 metres and a fourth position in the 500 metres.

St-Gelais, from Saint-Felicien, Que., earned 42 points and is tied with Britain’s Elise Christie. Kexin Fan of China is third at 34 while Marie-Eve Drolet of Saguenay, Que., stands eighth with five points.

“I’m really pleased with my two races and I went and got some valuable points,” said St-Gelais, a three-time Olympic silver medallist and last year’s overall runner up at the world championships. “I feel if I can keep the same pace I’ve been on the first two days that the world overall title is mine for the taking.”

On the men’s side, Samuel Girard of Ferland-et-Boilleau, Que., stands third overall with 29 points after a silver medal in the 1,500 metres and fourth in the 500 metres. Sjinkie Knegt of the Netherlands leads with 39 points while Sin da Woon of South Korea is second at 34.

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In the 1,500 metres, Christie beat St-Gelais by only 12 thousandth of a second. Suk Hee Shim of South Korea won the bronze medal. Drolet won the B final for sixth place while Kim Boutin of Sherbrooke, Que., was 10th.

“I had a very efficient race in the 1,500 metres,” said St-Gelais. “That allowed me to make sure I would be in the top-three at the end. I felt I had the legs to win.”

In the women’s 500 metre, Fan won the final in 43.606 edging St-Gelais, second in 43.630. Kim Ji Yoo of South Korea was third in 43.744. Drolet was second in the B final for sixth.

In the men’s 1,500 metre, Sin da Woon from South Korea earned the victory in 2:16.919 nudging Girard in second place in 2:16.982. Seo Yi Ra of South Korea was third in 2:17.051. Charles Hamelin of Sainte-Julie, Que., and Charle Cournoyer of Boucherville, Que., were third and fourth in the B final for 11th and 12th position.

The 500-metre final was won by Knegt, with Wu Dajing of China second and Seo Yi Ra, third. Girard took the fourth spot. Cournoyer and Hamelin were ousted in the quarter-finals for 10th and 11th spot.

The Canadian Press