OLYMPICS: Short Track Speed Skating: Ohno, Hamelin battle Koreans to make history

Vancouver (AFP) - American Apolo Anton Ohno and home hero Charles Hamelin will have history within their grasp when they battle South Korean aces on the first day of thee Olympic Short Track Speed Skating competition on Saturday. Lee Ho-suk, Lee Jung-Su and Sung Si-bak race against each other for the men's 1,500-metre gold medal won by their compatriot Ahn Hyun-Soo four years ago in Torino. But Ohno, who claimed the title in his Olympic debut at the 2002 Salt Lake Games, is plotting to derail their efforts and become the most medalled Olympic short-track skater. The 27-year-old American has won two gold, one silver and two bronze medals in his two previous Games. Five other short-trackers have picked up five Olympic medals each but are already retired. Hamelin, the 500m world champion who finished runner-up to Lee Jung-Su in this season's 1,500m World Cup series, can become the first Canadian to win an Olympic gold medal on home soil. Canada remains the only country to have hosted both summer (1976 in Montreal) and winter Olympics (1988 in Calgary) without winning a gold medal at either. The 25-year-old French-Canadian will share that possibility on Saturday with downhiller Manuel Osborne-Paradis and defending moguls champion Jennifer Heil. About his possible victory, Hamelin said: "For sure, if it happens, it will be the greatest moment of my life and will be a great moment for Canada." In Turin, Hamelin finished fourth in the 1,500m and was part of Canada's silver-medal performance in the 5,000-metre relay. But Lee Ho-Suk has declared his goal is to win a gold by beating Ohno and Hamelin. "When I get my first gold, I will then aim at another," said the 23-year-old, famous for his dynamic outside pass. In Turin, Lee finished runner-up to Ahn in the 1,000m and 1,500m and teamed with him to win the 5,000m relay. Ahn has not raced internationally since injuring his knee two years ago and failed to qualify for Vancouver. Ohno denied South Korea's sweep of four men's gold medals in Turin by winning the 500m. He beat Lee into second spot overall at the 2008 world championships but finished fifth last year when the Korean won overall with another American J.R. Celski second and Hamelin third. "I'm in the best physical shape of my life," Ohno said. "I want the podium. I want to win races." sps/dj10

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