The old version of Kim Boutin would not have come back as strong after a terrible fall.
The short track speed skater from Sherbrooke experienced a nightmarish start to the Beijing Olympics on Wednesday, suffering a terrible fall after the last turn of her 1000 meter preliminary race.
Boutin appeared to be heading for an easy win when his skate got stuck in a crack in the ice. She lost her balance, slammed into the boards and saw her rivals outpacing her at the finish line as she wondered what the hell had happened to her.
“I’m a little disappointed, I think I was very strong for that distance,” said Boutin with a quivering voice.
“I think this is one of the first times that I have fallen this way,” added the one who had won bronze in the 500 meters two evenings earlier at the Palais Omnisports in the capital.
Boutin, however, regained his courage in both hands. Later that evening, she helped Canada qualify for the women’s 3,000 meter relay final.
The Canadian quartet of Boutin, Alyson Charles, Courtney Sarault and Florence Brunelle essentially led the race from start to finish. The Canadians narrowly edged the South Koreans to the finish line.
Long consumed by her desire to win at all costs, Boutin, 27, said she likely would have struggled in the past to regain her composure in time to put on a strong relay performance. Not this time.
“I really concentrated my efforts to be with the girls during the relay and I think I was,” Boutin said, turning to her teammates, who all nodded.
Qualifying in the relay helped Boutin turn the page on his fall. For Brunelle, it was finally a positive moment at the Beijing Games.
The 18-year-old Trifluvienne fell in the mixed 2000-meter relay final on Saturday, then was penalized in the 500-meter quarter-finals on Monday.
“When we make mistakes, we learn. I have learned. But that shouldn’t stop me from trying other things, Brunelle said. That was my point for that stint; continue to be bold, continue to be intense and not be afraid. Mistakes happen. And that’s how I grow as a skater. »
The final of the women’s 3000 meters relay will take place on Sunday. In addition to the Canadians and South Koreans, the Netherlands and China will also be competing for gold.
Sarault and Charles also competed in the 1,000 meter preliminaries on Wednesday. Sarault won his heat, while Charles got his ticket to the quarter-finals following a referee’s decision.
They will therefore be playoffs over this distance on Friday. The preliminaries for the men’s 500 meters and the semi-finals for the men’s 5000 meters relay are also on the schedule.