Canada wins Olympic short-track relay gold, Hamelin ties record

The Canadian men’s short-track speedskating 5,000-metre relay team won a gold medal on Wednesday at the Beijing Olympics.

Charles Hamelin, Steven Dubois, Pascal Dion, Jordan Pierre-Gilles and reserve Maxime Laoun (who raced in the semifinals) teamed up to win Canada’s 18th medal at the Games. It is Canada’s third gold.

South Korea was second and Italy was third.

In what was Hamelin’s final Winter Games race, the 37-year-old from Sainte-Julie, Que., tied long-track speedskater Cindy Klassen’s Canadian Winter Olympic record with his sixth career medal — including four gold.

Hamelin also tied hockey players Hayley Wickenheiser, Caroline Ouellette and Jayna Hefford for most gold medals won by a Canadian Olympian.

Hamelin’s first Olympic medal was back in 2006 in Turin in the relay when Canada took silver.

Hamelin also tied the record for most medals by any Canadian male Olympian — sprinter Andre De Grasse also has six. Swimmer Penny Oleksiak is the all-time Canadian leader with seven medals.

It also was Dubois’ third medal in Beijing — he won silver in the 1,500 metres and bronze in the 500.

Canada won bronze in this event four years ago in Pyeongchang.

Meanwhile, Canada’s Courtney Sarault and Kim Boutin were eliminated from medal contention in the semifinals of the women’s 1,500 metres. Sarault missed out on earning the last final spot in a photo finish.

Canada’s Danae Blais was ousted in the quarterfinals.