Winter Olympics: Yet more agony for Elise Christie

Elise Christie's nightmare Winter Olympics run continued as the British short track speedskater suffered a distressing exit in her favoured event.
Downhearted: Elise Christie prepares to leave the ice.Downhearted: Elise Christie prepares to leave the ice.
Downhearted: Elise Christie prepares to leave the ice.

The 27-year-old Scot, carrying an ankle injury after crashing out of the 1500m semi-finals on Saturday, crashed again in her 1000m heat before it was re-started.

Christie, who was disqualified three times at the Sochi 2014 Games, then crossed the line in second place and thought she had advanced.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But, instead, Christie, who was carried away from the track by head coach Nicky Gooch, was punished again by the officials, who gave her a yellow card for two indiscretions which amounted to her relegation.

Christie later vowed to continue her bid for an elusive Olympic podium place at the 2022 Winter Games.

“I think I can come back with a medal in Beijing. It wasn’t meant to be this time,” said Christie.

“I can promise Britain I’ll fight back from this. I have so much belief in the programme and myself. There has been such massive support.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“For all the success I’ve had, I can’t let this define me. I can’t even count on two hands how many gold medals I’ve won since Sochi. I’m the world record holder.

“That’s why I’ll be back in Beijing (in 2022). I wanted to try another sport but I’ll commit to this one a bit longer. It sucks but that’s it now.”

“I’m going to get myself so strong that I’ll get out in front and get away from everyone and that will be the focus now.”

Christie’s participation in her third and final event had been in doubt until moments before the start, but she battled gamely to make the most of her second chance despite being uncharacteristically forced to fight from the rear.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

On her way through she had what appeared to be minor skirmishes with Holland’s Lara van Ruijven and Hungary’s Andrea Keszler before barging across the line, but there was an air of inevitability during the few minutes before the judges’ verdict – and Christie’s latest disqualification – was confirmed.

Charlotte Gilmartin and Kathryn Thomson also failed to advance to tomorrow’s knockout rounds.

Britain’s curling teams claimed crucial wins in their penultimate round-robin matches.

After Kyle Smith’s men’s rink secured a comprehensive 10-3 win over Norway, Eve Muirhead’s women’s squad edged to a 8-6 win over Japan. Both have five wins from eight games.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Wins today for the men against the United States and the women against Canada will see Britain progress to the semi-finals and avoid any play-offs.

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir regained their Olympic ice dance title in their final competitive skate at the Gangneung Ice Arena. The Canadian pair, who have been skating together since they were young children, edged out Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France by less than a point.

Maia and Alex Shibutani of the United States took the bronze medal with British pair Penny Coomes and Nick Buckland 11th.

Rowan Cheshire finished seventh in the women’s ski halfpipe final won by Canada’s Cassie Sharpe.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The 22-year-old crashed in training and did not compete in Sochi four years ago as a result.

She qualified in ninth with a best of 74.00 on Monday and returned to post 75.40 for her first of three final runs before falling on the next two. Sharpe took gold with a best of 95.80.

Murray Buchan was 14th and Peter Speight 15th in the men’s ski halfpipe event, missing out on a place in tomorrow’s 12-skier final.

Buchan scored 66.00 points with his first run, Speight 64.60 with his second and Alexander Glavatsky-Yeadon scored a best of 15.00 with his second run, to finish 26th of 27 competitors. Aaron Blunck of the United States was the highest qualifier with a best of 94.40.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mica McNeill and Mica Moore were sixth at the halfway point of the women’s two-person bobsleigh.

The pair, who crowd-funded their way to the Games after being told their funding was being cut by their governing body in September, were 0.16 seconds off the medal positions.

Germany occupied two of the top-three spots, with pilot Mari ama Jamanka in gold medal position, 0.46secs ahead of the Britons.

The US sled, piloted by Elana Meyers Taylor, was in silver medal position, 0.07secs behind, ahead of today’s concluding two runs.