Olivier Jean

Olivier Jean (born March 15, 1984) is a three time Olympian who represented Canada in both short and long track speed skating. Olivier Jean is a gold medalist from the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games in the men's 5000m relay. He is a Canadian short track speed skater, racing internationally from 2002 to 2015 and switched to long track speed skating, competing internationally from 2015 to 2018. Olivier competed at his second Olympic Games in Sochi 2014 in short track speed skating, and for his third game appearance, switched to long track speed skating, competing in the mass start at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic Games. His appearance is well known for his dreadlocks and for listening to reggae, which he says makes him skate faster.

Olivier Jean
Personal information
Born (1984-03-15) March 15, 1984
Lachenaie, Quebec, Canada
Height1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight80 kg (176 lb)
Sport
Country Canada
SportSpeed skating
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)Short Track
500m: 40.342 (2012)
1000m: 1:21.815 (2012)
1500m: 2:12.714 (2012)
3000m: 4:45.673 (2012)
Long Track
500m: 36.47 (2018)
1000m: 1:09.73 (2016)
1500m: 1:46.52 (2016)
3000m: 3:52.49 (2017)
5000m: 6:44.13 (2010)
10000m: 14:00.17 (2010)
Medal record
Representing  Canada
Men's speed skating
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place2017 GangneungMass start
Men's short track speed skating
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place2010 Vancouver5000 m relay
World Championships
Gold medal – first place2011 Sheffield5000 m relay
Gold medal – first place2012 Shanghai500 m
Gold medal – first place2012 Shanghai5000 m relay
Gold medal – first place2013 Debrecen5000 m relay
Silver medal – second place2007 Milan5000 m relay
Silver medal – second place2011 Sheffield500 m
Bronze medal – third place2009 Vienna500 m
Bronze medal – third place2012 ShanghaiOverall
World Team Championships
Silver medal – second place2010 BormioTeam
Bronze medal – third place2011 WarsawTeam
World Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place2002 Chuncheon5000 m relay

Career

Jean skates in every distance for the Canadian team and is a member of the national short track relay team. He helped the team to a silver at the 2007 World Championships. As well Jean skated to a bronze at the recent 2009 World Championships. Olivier Jean is a member of the Canadian team and relay team in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Jean qualified for the 1500m final on February 13 after judges ruled he was interfered with during his semi-final heat. Jean would go on to finish 4th in the final just missing out on a medal.[1] On February 26, he won a gold medal in the 5000 m relay along with Charles Hamelin, François Hamelin, François-Louis Tremblay and Guillaume Bastille.[2]

At the 2012 World Championships Jean won gold in the 500 m, he followed this with a gold medal in the men's relay final where he skated the anchor leg. He also won his first overall medal at the World Championships when he finished with the bronze.[3]

During the 2011 World Team Championships Jean was the victim of a bizarre sabotage event, when American Simon Cho damaged his skate blade after the United States were already eliminated. This caused the Canadians to be unable to skate for gold, leaving them in the bronze position. The events came to light at an inquiry into the actions of U.S. coach Jae Su Chun in 2012.[4]

At the 2017 World Speed Skating Championships in Gangneung, South Korea Jean won a bronze medal at the mass start event.

2018 Olympics

Now solely focused on long track speed skating, Jean after finishing in the top 16 in the mass start event at the 2017–18 ISU Speed Skating World Cup, pre-qualified for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.[5]

References
  1. "Canadian star speedskater Hamelin falls short in first attempt at podium Vancouver Olympics". Winnipeg Free Press. February 13, 2010. Archived from the original on 2020-07-01. Retrieved 2010-02-16.
  2. Lukas, Jennifer (2010-02-26). "Canada makes it a 3-medal day in short track". CTV Olympics. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
  3. "Charles Hamelin wins silver in 1,500-metres at worlds". CBC Sports. March 11, 2011.
  4. "U.S. speedskater says coach pressured him to tamper with Jean's skates". CBC Sports. October 5, 2012.
  5. "Potential battles for the last Olympic spots available set to take place at 2018 Long Track Team Selections". www.speedskating.ca/. Speed Skating Canada. 29 December 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
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