Hamelin, Cournoyer lead Canada to short track relay gold in 5,000m
Teammate Cedrik Blais earns bronze in 500, Boutin 4th in women's 500 at Germany
Charle Cournoyer, Charles Hamelin, Pascal Dion and Sam Girard teamed up to win a gold medal for Canada on Sunday in the men's 5,000-metre relay at a World Cup event in Dresden, Germany.
The Canadians completed 45 laps in six minutes, 44.646 seconds to defeat Japan (6:45.810), while Hungary was third in 6:50.998. China was penalized impeding earlier in the race and finished fourth.
WATCH | Canada rule men's 5,000-metre relay in Germany:
"This was a great return to the top of the podium for the Canadian men's relay team," said Girard. "It's our first gold medal with Eric [Bedard] coaching the team, so we've achieved one of our top objectives."
Last February in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Hamelin and company spent much of their time near the lead early in a grueling 5,000 final at the Winter Olympics, but seemed to stumble at the end.
Successful weekend
Ultimately, a Hungarian team crossed the line first, with a Chinese team right behind them as Canada took the bronze.
On Sunday, Hamelin, a five-time Olympic medallist, was fresh off a silver-medal performance in Saturday's 1,500 A final. Cournoyer also finished second, in the men's 1,000 A final on Saturday, while Montreal native Dion was fifth in the 1,500 B final.
In the women's 3,000 relay, Canada was penalized for an arm push and disqualified while the mixed relay team, skating in the B final after an untimely fall during the last laps of Saturday's semifinal race, was seventh overall.
Elsewhere, Cédrik Blais also reached the podium in Dresden, capturing the bronze in the men's 500 in 40.344 seconds on Sunday.
WATCH | Blais takes bronze in Dresden:
On Saturday, Blais of Châteauguay, Que., placed fourth in his 1,000 quarter-final.
Teammate Steven Dubois of Lachenaie, Que., fresh off a fourth-place showing in Saturday's 1,500 A final, was fourth in the B final in 40.744.
On the women's side, Kim Boutin followed up Saturday's silver in the women's 1,500 A final with a fourth-place performance in the 500 on Sunday in 43.277.
WATCH | Boutin scores her second silver medal of the season:
Kasandra Bradette of St. Felicien, Que., was second in the B final (44.552) after finishing sixth in the women's 1,000 on Saturday.
With files from The Canadian Press