GANGNEUNG, Korea, Republic Of -- Kim Boutin didn't have to wait long this time to find out that she won bronze at the Winter Games.
Four days after getting launched into a whirlwind when the disqualification of South Korea's Minjeong Choi allowed her to move into third place in the 500 metres, Boutin repeated her exploits in the 1,500 on Saturday.
The short-track speedskater celebrated in the middle of the ice with a Canadian flag on her back.
"I don't want to take anything away from my medal in the 500 because I deserved it and I'm happy to have it, but after all that happened, the courage that it took me, I said to myself, 'Kim, you deserve this one as well,"' she said. "To win the medal at the line ... it was joyful, really happy."
Choi delighted the hometown crowd with a gold-medal performance of two minutes 24.948 seconds ahead of China's Jinyu Li (2:25.703). Boutin finished in 2:25.834.
Marianne St-Gelais of Saint-Felicien, Que., and Valerie Maltais of Saguenay, Que., weren't able to make it past the semifinals.
Boutin received threatening messages on social media after capturing her 500 bronze and was forced to make her accounts private. She originally finished off the podium but was bumped into third when Choi was disqualified for interfering with the Canadian.
"I can't hide it, it hurt me," Boutin said while finally breaking the silence imposed by those responsible from the Canadian delegation in Pyeongchang. "I wanted to turn the page quickly but getting here, it was a slap in the face during warm-ups ... all the emotions."
The 23-year-old Canadian recalled crossing paths with Choi in the cafeteria at the athletes' village the day after the controversial final.
"I had a lot of pain, but they (other athletes) took me in a circle to give me energy, to tell me that it was an isolated case and that I shouldn't worry about that," Boutin said. "It gave me a lot of courage."
Boutin again celebrated with St-Gelais when she exited the ice.
St-Gelais, who was celebrating her 28th birthday on Saturday, was disqualified in the quarter-finals of the 500 on Tuesday and fell after making contact with South Korea's Alang Kim in the semifinals of the 1,500 on Saturday. She was disqualified after not coming completely back into the course after her fall.
"My skate picked the ice," St-Gelais said. "Yes, the Korean put pressure on me but nothing for getting penalized. It was me, I was tight, the pass would have work but my skate got picked.
"Yes, I'm disappointed at the outcome but I'm not disappointed because I was there physically, mentally and tactically."
Maltais indicated that she wasn't slowed down by a sprained ankle before her first practice in Pyeongchang. She was also penalized after her semifinal.
"I think that I'm happy with my race, but disappointed in the result," the 27-year-old said. "I wanted an A final, I wanted a podium."
St-Gelais and Maltais have the chance to redeem themselves in the 3,000 relay Tuesday and the 1,000 on Thursday. Boutin, meanwhile, will be seeking her third Olympic medal.
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