The first day of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games takes place on February 10, 2018, with Canada having two strong medal opportunities. In the women’s 3000 metres, Ivanie Blondin of Ottawa, Ontario is in contention for a podium position, while in the men’s 1500 metre short track speed skating, Charles Hamelin of Levis, Quebec will try to defend his Olympic gold medal from the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.
2018 Winter Olympics Canadian Day 1 Preview
Long Track
Blondin finished fourth at the 2017 World Speed Skating Championships in the women’s 3000m in Gangneung, South Korea last February and is entering the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang with an immense amount of momentum. She won the final women’s 3000m World Cup race before the Olympic Winter Games in Erfurt, Germany on January 21.
Blondin may also benefit from a possible back injury to Czech Republic speed skating superstar Martina Sablikova. The 2017 World Cup champion, Sablikova would have been the favourite for Olympic gold if healthy. Now it appears she might have opened the door for Blondin, and two stars from the speed skating hotbed of the Netherlands–Ireen Wust and Antoinette de Jong. The race takes place on Saturday at 4 am MT.
Short Track
In the men’s 1500m short track speed skating, Hamelin is the absolute veteran on Team Canada, as he finished in third place in the men’s 1500m in the 2017 World Cup standings. However, he is not the only Canadian who could experience Olympic glory in short track on Saturday. Samuel Girard of Ferland-et-Boilleau, Quebec won the silver medal in the men’s 1500m at the 2017 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The qualifications in the men’s 1500m starts at 3 am MT, with also qualifying in the women’s 3000m relay and the women’s 500 metres. The final in the men’s 1500m takes place at 5:22 am MT. In both of the women’s events, Canada will be led by Marianne St-Gelais of Roberval, Quebec, who is a three-time Olympic silver medalist.
Don’t forget the Canadians will not have home ice advantage in Pyeongchang. Short track speed skating is South Korea’s number one winter sport and will be led by the 2017 World Cup men’s 1500m champion Dae Heon Hwang and Hyo Jun Lim.
Curling
Meanwhile, in mixed doubles curling, Canada is currently in a three-way tie for first place with Norway and the Olympic Athletes from Russia at four wins and one loss. On Friday evening to begin day one, Canada scored four points in the second end en route to a convincing 7-2 victory over Switzerland. Canada’s Kaitlyn Lawes of Winnipeg, Manitoba and John Morris of Canmore, Alberta, played phenomenal defence as they registered steals in the fifth and sixth ends before shaking hands.
The win over Switzerland’s Jenny Perret and Martin Rios should give Lawes and Morris an immense amount of confidence moving forward. Perret and Rios are the reigning world champions from the 2017 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship in Lethbridge, Alberta and beat Canada’s Joanne Courtney of Edmonton, Alberta and Reid Carruthers of Winnipeg, Manitoba 6-5 in the gold medal game. Team Canada next plays the Olympic Athletes from Russia at 4am MT on Saturday.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
