Speedskater Jean disqualified at World Cup qualifier
Last Updated: Friday, November 6, 2009 | 2:34 PM ET
The Canadian Press
Canadian short-track speedskater Olivier Jean stormed angrily off the ice Friday after being disqualified from a World Cup 1,000-metre competition in Montreal.
Jean blocked German skater Tyson Heung as he tried to improve his position rounding a corner during a preliminary race at the Maurice Richard Arena.
This week's World Cup will help determine which athletes secure spots at the Vancouver Olympics in February.
The normally upbeat Jean, visibly upset by the disappointment, said he was too ambitious.
"I made a tactical error," said the 25-year-old from Lachenaie, Que. "The German was a bit wide at the start of the curve and I thought I had enough speed to pass him and I jumped into the inside.
"I misread the situation. I should have been happy with second place."
Jean is one of Canada's stronger competitors and came in first in the initial rounds Thursday afternoon. He'll have the opportunity to make up some lost ground next weekend in Marquette, Mich., for the final pre-Olympic races.
The disqualification is proof of how unpredictable short-track speedskating races can be, where skaters round corners with only a few centimetres separating them.
"It does really put more pressure on next week," said the quirky Jean, who sports a wild mop of long blond hair. "I'm responsible for this extra pressure and I'm going to do everything possible to get back the points I lost this week. But it's not the end of the world."
The 32 top-ranked athletes in the 500 and 1,000 metres will go on to the Olympic competition while the top 36 in the 1,500 will advance.
Canada, as the host country, also receives an automatic spot in each distance, and in the 3,000 and 5,000 metres.
Canadian fans make some noise
The number of boisterous Canadian fans brandishing noisemakers and handmade banners increased steadily at the arena as the skaters got closer to the semifinals and finals on the weekend.
On Thursday, Guillaume Bastille and Tania Vicent failed to advance past the quarter-finals in the 1,500-metre races.
Canada's men's Olympic squad also has brothers Charles and Francois Hamelin and Francois-Louis Tremblay of Alma, Que.
The women's team also features Kalyna Roberge of St-Etienne, Que., Valerie Maltais of La Baie, Que., Jessica Gregg of Edmonton and Marianne St-Gelais of Roberval, Que.
