Canada's Hamelin sets world record

Times Colonist - CanWest News - Sunday, October 14, 2007
SPEED SKATING - Francois Hamelin of Levis, Que., set the men's short-track 500-metre speed skating world record with a time of 41.066 seconds yesterday at the Olympic Oval in Calgary.

"It feels weird to hold a world record," said Hamelin, 20, after his race at the Olympic Oval Oktoberfest Short Track Competition.

He bettered the previous record of 41.184 set by Canadian teammate Jean-Francois Monette at the Olympic Oval in 2003.

Canada’s Francois Hamelin sets world record at Olympic Oval short track event
Bridget Cox
His older brother Charles holds the Canadian record in the distance with a time of 40.950, set at the Olympic Oval during the Canadian National Team Selection trials #1 last month. As it wasn’t an international competition his time did not qualify as a world record. “He will be happy for me,” says Francois about what he expects Charles to say about his race time.

“He might be a little upset as he was the first man to skate under 41 seconds and now I have the world record.”

Quebecer Hamelin breaks world record
Calgary Herald - October 14, 2007
In Saturday's A final race, Olympic Oval short-tracker Cory Rasmussen of Prince George, B.C., gave Hamelin a challenge for the world record, with the two skaters passing each other for the lead early in the race.
"I started the race with my focus on Cory. I was able to close the gap with two laps to go and made a sweet pass. I didn't realize I had set a record until after I talked to my coach."