Charles Hamelin

Topics

Presentations

What It's Like to be a Two-Time Gold Medal Winner at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

Olympics

Motivation

Perseverence

Summary Profile

Already an Olympic Silver Medalist from the 2006 Torino Games, Charles began speed skating at the age of 10, under the direction of his father Yves, and alongside younger brother, François.

With 17 individual world cup medals over consecutive seasons and a second World Championship title in three years in the short track speed skate, Charles Hamelin is a Canadian force on the international short track circuit.

After trading world titles in short track's glamour event with Dancing with the Stars winner, Apolo Anton Ohno, Hamelin has won an even bigger prize - an Olympic gold medal on home ice against his wildly popular American rival. Already an Olympic Silver Medalist as part of the men's long track speed skating relay squad from the 2006 Torino Games, he is the current world record holder in the 1000m. Hamelin has furthered his standings and world record titles with two gold medal wins in the short and long track speed skating relay at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Hamelin had the job of sharing the long track speed skating gold with his brother François.

In 2004 Charles was presented with the Rising Star Award by the Quebec Speedskating Federation. A year later he was named Speed Skating Canada's Male Short Track Athlete of the Year in 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009.