Mathieu Turcotte

Short track speed skater Mathieu Turcotte was only an alternate on the 5,000m relay team at the 1998 Winter Olympics, and did not compete at the tournament, but he burst onto the national scene later that year by taking a gold medal in the team event at the World Championships and climbing the ranks in World Cup events. He remained an active competitor on the international circuit in the years leading up to the 2002 Winter Olympics, winning gold medals in team events at the 2000 and 2001 World Championships, in addition to a silver medal in the 5,000m relay at the latter tournament. Although he specialized in the relay, he picked up a bronze medal in the 1,000m event and 5,000m relay gold at the 2002 Olympic Games, and then followed up his success with silver in the latter competition, as well as the team event, at that year’s World Championships. Over the course of the next three years, he collected three more gold and two more silver medals at the World Championships and qualified for the 1,500m and 5,000m relay events at the 2006 Winter Olympics. He placed sixth in the former and second in the latter prior to taking gold and silver in the 5,000m relay and team events at that year’s World Championships. He retired in 2008 and now serves as the President of Apex Racing Skates.