Short Track Speed Skating

MARQUETTE, Mich. - Canada will be able to enter the maximum three athletes in each of the men's and women's 500-metre short-track speedskating events at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics after a successful opening day Thursday at the World Cup stop in Marquette, Mich.

Charles Hamelin, François-Louis Tremblay and Olivier Jean all qualified for Saturday's heats in the men's 500, while Marianne St-Gelais, Jessica Gregg and Kalyna Roberge all qualified in the women's event.

The skaters with the top 32 combined results from Marquette and last week's World Cup stop in Montreal earn Olympic berths.

With Canadian skaters excelling in Montreal, including a gold medal for Hamelin and a silver for Roberge, they only needed to qualify for the heats to make the cut.

"They will all be racing on Saturday, and all of our 500-metre positions for 2010 are now pretty much secured, so that's one thing we can stop thinking about,'' said team leader Yves Hamelin.

Charles Hamelin of Ste-Julie, Que., Montreal's Tremblay and Olivier Jean of Lachenaie, Que., each won their preliminary races Thursday. Hamelin (41.242 seconds) and Tremblay (41.415) skated the two fastest times of the day.

St-Gelais of St-Felicien, Que., and Edmonton's Gregg won their preliminaries, while Roberge of St-Etienne-de-Lauzon, Que., finished second in her race.