Winnipeg speedskater punches ticket to Pyeongchang

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This article was published 08/01/2018 (2804 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CALGARY — Winnipeg’s Heather McLean has punched her ticket to the Winter Olympics, finishing second in the women’s 500 metres at Canada’s ongoing long-track speedskating trials.

“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,” said McLean, who clocked a time of 37.79 seconds and will be making her Games debut.

Marsha Hudey of White City, Sask., won the event at 37.46 and is also going to the Pyeyongchang Games. Hudey will be competing in her second Olympics, after competing in Sochi. Calgary’s Kaylin Irvine was third, but she didn’t skate under the women’s time standard of 37.76 seconds.

Hudey and McLean earned two of the three quota spots allotted to Canada in the women’s 500m for the 2018 Games, as they not only took the spots based on their respective ranking, but they also achieved the qualifying time standard of 37.76 in the past year.

“It wasn’t the race that I was hoping for, but I’ll take it,” said McLean, 25. “I’m happy about that, and that’s what I came here to do. But I’ve got a lot of work to do in terms of execution.”

Gilmore Junio was Canada’s feel-good story of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The Calgary speedskater is happy there will be a sequel in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Junio earned his Olympic berth in the men’s 500 metres Friday at the trials.

He became a Canadian folk hero for his selflessness four years ago. Junio handed over his spot in the men’s 1,000 metres to teammate Denny Morrison, who won a silver medal.

— wire services

Junio, who placed 10th in the 500 metres in Sochi, says there’s more than that good-guy moment to be written in his Olympic tale.

“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.

— staff