Canadian speedskating folk hero Gilmore Junio earns return trip to Olympics

“I’m not too sure yet what the narrative is going to be, but I’m glad the story gets to have another chapter and not just end here,” the 27-year-old said.

The trials concluding Tuesday will complete Canada’s long-track team for February’s Winter Games. The 10 men and 10 women who will race for Canada at the Gangneung Oval will be announced Wednesday.

The trials continue Saturday with the men’s and women’s 1,500 metres.

Some skaters were already assured of Olympic berths in certain distances prior to trials, based on their results in World Cups the first half of this season, and at last year’s world single-distance championship.

Alex Boisvert-Lacroix won the men’s 500 Friday even though he’d been pre-selected for Pyeongchang.

The 30-year-old from Sherbrooke, Que., won his first career World Cup gold medals last month in Salt Lake City, Utah, and in Calgary.

Boisvert-Lacroix is training to peak for Pyeongchang, so he was more than satisfied with his performance Friday on little rest.

“I’m happy with the way I skated and I showed I deserved my place on this team more than ever,” he said.

“Confidence makes a big impact on my skating right now. I just show up on the line and I know exactly what I have to do.”

Those still vying for spots on the Olympic squad must not only finish in the top three at trials, but must either meet or have recently met Speed Skating Canada’s time standard, in order to be considered.

Junio finished third behind runner-up Will Dutton of Regina, who didn’t race under the time standard of 34.47 seconds. Dutton will attempt that time again Saturday in Canada Cup races prior to the 1,500 metres.

Junio met the time standard prior to trials, but had to finish in the top three Friday to become a two-time Olympian.

“The field that we have in the 500 metres, I didn’t doubt that someone was going to go faster,” Junio said. “There was still a lot of stress going into today knowing I had to skate a really good race.”

Marsha Hudey of White City, Sask., and Winnipeg’s Heather McLean were first and second respectively in the women’s 500 to punch their tickets to Pyeongchang.

Calgary’s Kaylin Irvine was third, but she didn’t skate under the women’s time standard of 37.76 seconds.

Hudey will compete in her second Winter Games after racing the 500 in Sochi, while McLean will make her Olympic debut.

“I think it’s going to be a totally different experience,” said Hudey, who had three-year-old niece Victory on her arm during media interviews.

“I’ve heard from so many veterans that every Olympics is a unique experience on its own. I’m looking to just go and skate and the best I can. The last four years, with more experience on the World Cup circuit, I think it will feel a bit different going into my second one than it did my first.”

Said McLean: “It’s obviously something I’ve dreamed about my entire life to compete in the Olympics. I can finally start thinking about it. I’ve kind of had it in the back of my mind just focusing on this weekend.”

Medallists in the 500 metres at previous Olympic Games and world championships were determined by their combined times over two races.

Canada’s Catriona Le May Doan had to skate a pair of 500-metre races to win gold in both 1998 and 2002.

But the second 500 race was dropped after the 2014 Winter Games, so the medals in Pyeongchang will come down to one race of less than 40 seconds.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Canadian speedskating folk hero Gilmore Junio earns return trip to Olympics

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