SPORTS

Charles Hamelin takes speedskating bronze at short-track world championships

The Associated Press Published Saturday, March 14, 2015 12:11PM EDT

Semen Elistratov, of Russia, center, Canada's Charles Hamelin, left, and Netherlands' Sjinkie Knegt, right, compete at the men's 1,500 metre short track final at the Krylatskoye skating center during the short track world championships, in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, March 14, 2015. (AP/Ivan Sekretarev)

Text:

MOSCOW -- Canada's Charles Hamelin won a bronze medal Saturday in the men's 1,500 metres at the world short-track speedskating championships.

Hamelin, from Ste-Julie, Que., was third behind winner Semen Elistratov of Russia and Sjinkie Knegt of the Netherlands.

Elistratov and Italy's Arianna Fontana led the men's and women's overall standings after the first day of competition. At the world championships, titles are awarded to the winners of various events, as well as to the overall best skaters according to a points system.

Elistratov was two points ahead of China's Wu Dajing, who won the 500. Hamelin finished sixth in the 500 and was fifth in the overall standings.

Fontana held a 15-point lead in the women's standings after winning the 1,500 metres. Kim Boutin of Montreal was seventh and Marianne St-Gelais of St-Felicien, Que., was ninth.

Fontana was third in the 500, a race won by China's Fan Kexin, who moved to second in the overall standings. St-Gelais was sixth in the 500 and ninth in the overall standings.

The championships end Sunday after the 1,000, 3,000 and men's and women's relays.

With files from The Canadian Press