Canadian short-track speedskater Steven Dubois won a silver medal in a thrilling men's 1,500-metre race at the Beijing Olympics on Wednesday.
SILVER
Steven Dubois wins a short track silver in the men’s 1500m for #TeamCanada
Details on his medal https://t.co/WYgNu2ddoz pic.twitter.com/O2nKknOBYG— Team Canada (@TeamCanada) February 9, 2022
The 24-year-old native of Terrebonne, Que., moved up from the back of the pack in a rare 10-man final -- it was slated to feature seven skaters but was expanded because of penalties -- to take silver behind South Korea's Hwang Daeheon.
It was so crowded at the start that skaters had to line up in two rows -- six in front and behind them.
“You can’t really make a mistake (with 10 skaters) ... If you make a mistake, you get pushed out, you’re done basically. There’s no advancement in finals," Dubois told CBC. "I knew I had to be in front, be protective, so that's what I did. I found an easy way to the front, follow the Korean guy and make sure to protect to the end."
Dubois beat out Russian Semen Elistratov in a photo finish for second.
"I knew his finishes, his stretches were super quick," Dubois said. "I had confidence in mine. I just stretched it out as best as I could and once I was in there, I knew I had second place."
It was Canada's eighth medal of the Games -- one gold, two silver, five bronze -- and second medal of Day 5 after Meryeta O'Dine won bronze in women's snowboard cross.
Dubois was one of four skaters to earn advancement to the A final after the head referee handed out penalties in two of the three semifinal races.
Sjinkie Knegt of the Netherlands made contact with Dubois when he was in a top-two position in the semifinal, sending the Canadian into the wall.
Because Dubois was in a spot where he would have advanced to the final when the incident occurred, the Olympic rookie received a shot to skate for medals.
“If I think about, it I feel like I’m going to cry. It’s amazing," Dubois said.
Fellow Canadians Pascal Dion and Charles Hamelin were eliminated in their respective semifinal heats.
Hamelin, who has won five career Olympic medals, was penalized in his final individual Olympic race. He still has the relay as he tries to tie the record for most medals won by a Canadian Winter Olympian.
Dubois was the top-ranked Canadian male from 2018-20 before the pandemic hit.
This season, he is ranked 15th in the 1,500 metres.
Canada makes women's relay final
Kim Boutin bounced back to help Canada earn a spot in the women's 3,000-metre relay A final after crashing out of the 1,000-metre heats.
Boutin, Courtney Sarault, Florence Brunelle and Alyson Charles skated to victory in the second semifinal to book one of four spots in the final.
The final is Sunday.
Earlier, Boutin was leading and heading to victory in her 1,000-metre heat when she fell on the final turn.
The 27-year-old native of Sherbrooke, Que., won bronze in the 500 metres on Monday, giving Boutin four career Olympic medals.
Sarault and Charles advanced out of the 1,000-metre heats.
