Marianne St-Gelais
Encyclopedia
Marianne St-Gelais is a Canadian
short track speed skater
. She won two silver medals in the 500 m and 3,000 m events at the Vancouver
2010 Winter Olympics
.
Marianne calls Saint-Félicien, Quebec
her hometown but currently resides in Montreal
with boyfriend and fellow short track team member Charles Hamelin
. St-Gelais as well as boyfriend Hamelin made Hello Canada's 50 most beautiful Canadians list in 2010.
with four gold (500m, 1000m, 3000m and relay) and one silver medal (1500m). St-Gelais was named team Canada's "rising star" of 2009. Marianne St-Gelais is the 2009 world junior champion and world junior record holder in the 500 metres with a time of 43.922 seconds. St-Gelais won her first ever World Cup medal in 500m short track speed skating at Vancouver
in 2009.
St-Gelais was a member of the Canadian team that attended the 2010 Winter Olympics
in both the 500m and 3,000m relay. Prior to these Olympic games she had yet to win any medals at an Olympics or world championships. On February 17, her 20th birthday, she won a silver medal in the 500 metres
. She followed this success with a silver medal on February 24, in the 3,000 metre relay
, along with Jessica Gregg
, Kalyna Roberge
and Tania Vicent
. After the Olympics St-Gelais continued on her success at the Olympics with a bronze in the 500m at the 2010 World Championships
as well as a silver in the 3,000m relay. At the World Team Championships
St-Gelais was a part of the Canadian squad that won silver in the event. This concluded what was the most successful season of her young career, with 2 Olympic silvers, 2 world championship silvers, and a world's bronze.
St-Gelais ended the 2010–11 ISU World Cup season
as the 500 m World Cup Champion.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
short track speed skater
Short track speed skating
Short track speed skating is a form of competitive ice speed skating. In competitions, multiple skaters skate on an oval ice track with a circumference of 111.12 m...
. She won two silver medals in the 500 m and 3,000 m events at the Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
.
Personal life
St-Gelais, one of 5 siblings, began skating at the age of 10 when her neighbour encouraged her to join the local speed skating club. Her younger sister Catherine, 15, and brother Bastien 13, still skate competitively.Marianne calls Saint-Félicien, Quebec
Saint-Félicien, Quebec
Saint-Félicien is a city in the Canadian province of Quebec. The town is located within the Le Domaine-du-Roy Regional County Municipality in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region. Its population as of 2006 is 10,477.-Geography:...
her hometown but currently resides in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
with boyfriend and fellow short track team member Charles Hamelin
Charles Hamelin
Charles Hamelin is a Canadian short track speed skater from Sainte-Julie, Quebec. Hamelin is a 3 time Olympic medalist having won 2 gold and 1 silver during the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics...
. St-Gelais as well as boyfriend Hamelin made Hello Canada's 50 most beautiful Canadians list in 2010.
Career
As an accomplished junior skater, and world record holder, St-Gelais placed first overall at the 2007 Canada Games2007 Canada Games
The 2007 Canada Winter Games were held in Whitehorse, Yukon from Friday 23 February 2007 to Saturday 10 March 2007. These were the first Canada Games held North of 60 . The games were held concurrent with the Inuit Games and Dene Games...
with four gold (500m, 1000m, 3000m and relay) and one silver medal (1500m). St-Gelais was named team Canada's "rising star" of 2009. Marianne St-Gelais is the 2009 world junior champion and world junior record holder in the 500 metres with a time of 43.922 seconds. St-Gelais won her first ever World Cup medal in 500m short track speed skating at Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
in 2009.
St-Gelais was a member of the Canadian team that attended the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in both the 500m and 3,000m relay. Prior to these Olympic games she had yet to win any medals at an Olympics or world championships. On February 17, her 20th birthday, she won a silver medal in the 500 metres
Short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's 500 metres
The women's 500 metres in short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics began on 13 February, with the final held on 17 February, at the Pacific Coliseum.-Heats:-Quarterfinals:-Semifinals:-Final B :...
. She followed this success with a silver medal on February 24, in the 3,000 metre relay
Short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Women's 3000 metre relay
The finals in the women's 3000 metre relay in short track speed skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics took place on 24 February, at the Pacific Coliseum. In the final, the event was won by the Chinese team, which set a new world record...
, along with Jessica Gregg
Jessica Gregg
Jessica Gregg is a Canadian short track speed skater.Jessica Gregg was the only member of the 2010 Canadian Olympic short track team outside of Quebec. Jessica won her first ever World Cup gold medal in 500 m short track speedskating in February 2009...
, Kalyna Roberge
Kalyna Roberge
Kalyna Roberge is a Canadian short track speed skater.Roberge has won a gold medal in the 3000m relay at the 2005 World Championships. She also placed third overall at the 2005 World Junior Championships including a gold medal in the 500m. She also won a gold medal at a World Cup event in the...
and Tania Vicent
Tania Vicent
Tania Vicent is a Canadian short track speed skater, who competed at the 2006 Winter Olympics. On February 22, along with Alanna Kraus, Anouk Leblanc-Boucher and Kalyna Roberge, Vicent won a silver medal for Canada in the 3000m relay...
. After the Olympics St-Gelais continued on her success at the Olympics with a bronze in the 500m at the 2010 World Championships
2010 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships
The 2010 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships took place between March 19 and March 21, 2010 in Sofia, Bulgaria. The World Championships are organised by the ISU which also run world cups and championships in speed skating and figure skating.-Men:...
as well as a silver in the 3,000m relay. At the World Team Championships
World Short Track Speed Skating Team Championships
The World Short Track Speed Skating Team Championships are a professional team short track speed skating event and held once a year in a different country.Top 8 countries from Short Track World Cup Series qualify automatically...
St-Gelais was a part of the Canadian squad that won silver in the event. This concluded what was the most successful season of her young career, with 2 Olympic silvers, 2 world championship silvers, and a world's bronze.
St-Gelais ended the 2010–11 ISU World Cup season
2010–11 ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup
The 2010–11 ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup is a multi race tournament over a season for Short track speed skating. The season began on October 22, 2010 and will last till February 19, 2011...
as the 500 m World Cup Champion.