(Montreal) Hollywood couldn’t have done better. Charles Hamelin walked to the edge of the rink, took his daughter Violette in his arms before making a final lap. With a smile of satisfaction and pride on his lips, the legendary 37-year-old skater greeted the Montreal crowd… for the last time.
Updated yesterday at 8:22 p.m.
“Tonight, when I go to bed, or rather if I go to bed, all the emotions will show up after a while. I want to live the moment with the guys. I want to make the most of it. It just happens once in a lifetime. It’s really magical,” Hamelin hinted after the medal ceremonies were over.
The swan song of the man nicknamed the “Sainte-Julie locomotive” will remain etched in our memories. The 3,200 spectators at the Maurice-Richard Arena were jubilant before, during and after the men’s relay final, the most eagerly awaited race of the weekend for all that it entailed.
In the stands, spectators brandished posters on which was written “Thank you Charles” and “Let’s go Charles”. The six-time Olympic medalist received a standing ovation even before the race began. He put his hand on his heart, moved.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Charles Hamelin and his teammates
If the Canadian skaters – Hamelin, Pascal Dion, Steven Dubois, Maxime Laoun and Jordan Pierre-Gilles – were unable to repeat their Olympic feat, they made sure to offer their veteran a final career medal, that of bronze. The South Koreans and the Dutch took gold and silver respectively.
“Ultimately, the color of the medal didn’t matter,” Hamelin said. We lived the moments we wanted to live with the boys. The color we wanted, we got it a few weeks ago [aux Jeux olympiques]. »
“To be able to experience this in front of our crowd, our friends, our family, it was just incredible. We realized why we love our sport so much, because the crowd went wild every time we stepped onto the ice. These are memories that will stay in our minds forever. »
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Charles Hamelin feasting with other skaters
When the race ended, Hamelin took off his glasses, wiped his eyes and hugged his teammates for long seconds. He then took his final lap with “Vivi” in his arms, charming the large crowd as he passed.
“I don’t know if my daughter was aware of what happened,” said the skater. She will have flashes in her life, she will have many photos to remember. But I’m sure she was thrilled to have experienced the love of the crowd, who were screaming for her daddy and for her too, because she’s almost as popular as I am. »
“The future is now”
Charles Hamelin is 19 years on the national team. That’s six Olympic medals, including four gold. It’s 38 medals in World Championships and 142 in World Cups. He has long been awarded the status of a sports legend, and deservedly so.
“I will never be able to thank life more than that”, launched the one who will be 38 years old on April 14.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Charles Hamelin and his family
“To have the Mondial in Montreal, at the end of my career, for my last race in life, is something I could never have predicted. Finally, it happened. We are here. It’s over. »
Hamelin has indicated in recent days that he has several retirement plans. It will start with a family trip to Punta Cana starting next Saturday. The wedding is scheduled for June, followed by the honeymoon.
Does he have a plan to return to the national program as a coach?
“I do my coaching lessons in my spare time on the Net,” he said. It’s still easy and fun. But in the short term, I have no ambition to come and take the place of someone who is there at the moment. »
“I think the skaters are in very good hands,” he continued. But it is sure that if a door opens in my life, I will listen to what they have to offer me. I’m going to make a decision, but right now I have a lot of other fish to fry. »
Until then, the skater will continue to encourage his teammates. “The future is now,” he said.
They said
Charles is a role model. He proved to us that we could grow in this sport, which moves so much, in which there are so many novelties. The rules change, you have to adapt as an athlete. To have seen him evolve through those years is incredible. A great athlete is leaving us.
Kim Boutin
It’s a legend. He is a role model for so many young people. We could talk about it for a long time. Charles has been such a good influence on the sport. His mark will remain for a long time. […] He is a worker, an ox in training. He pushes hard, never gives up, arrives on time. Everyone on the team really learned from him. We can only be inspired by it.
Pascal Dion
It is definitely a special moment. We’ve known for a while that this is his last competition for life. We wanted to do a good result at the end. With the crowd, it makes it so magical. It was hard not to cry. We all shed tears. We don’t lose him, he will be our friend and we can’t wait to see him again afterwards. But it’s a good boyfriend who leaves.
Steven Dubois