RED DEER, Alta. — Jenna Larter became the fastest ever P.E.I. female in the short track 500-metre speed skating competition Sunday at the Canada Games in Red Deer, Alta.
The Brookfield native’s time was 46.424, surpassing both Islanders Jenna Gallant and Carly Connell top times.
Larter posted the fifth fastest time in both rounds Sunday in the 46-skater field to advance to Wednesday’s semifinal.
She also made it to Round 2 in the 1,500 metres, where she posted a new personal-best (PB) time of 2:34.149, narrowly missing a spot in the semifinal. She will try to earn a spot in the semifinal through the repechage route today.
Here are other speed skating results from Sunday.
Peter McQuaid
Charlottetown’s Peter McQuaid advanced comfortably to second round in the 1,500 metres but was taken down by another skater while sitting in a qualification position, so was advanced to today’s semifinal.
McQuaid advanced easily through the first round of the 500 metres, but fell in his second round heat, which was the fastest race of the day. He will skate in 500m repechage on Wednesday morning.
Kyle Connell
In the 500 metres, Kyle Connell skated a 1.5-second personal best time of 44.296 seconds in Round 1, which was the fastest P.E.I. time of the day and vaulted him up to third position on the list of all-time (and all ages) fastest P.E.I. short track skaters in the 500 metres. The Charlottetown native finished fourth in his second round heat and did not advance.
He fell in 1,500m in Round 1 and did not advance. He will skate in repechage for both distances to try to earn spots in the final rounds.
Andrew Binns
Andrew Binns advanced to the second round in the 1,500 metres, where he broke a 12-year-old P.E.I. record for junior men by more than three seconds and narrowly missed advancement to the semifinals with his time of 2:22.851.
The Stratford native advanced to the second round in 500 metres, where he lowered his own P.E.I. record for junior men with his time of 44.828 seconds but did not advance after finishing third. He will skate in repechage for both distances to try to earn spots in the final rounds.
Thomas McQuaid
Charlottetown’s Thomas McQuaid was involved in a crash in the first round of the 1,500 metres and did not advance. He advanced to the second round in the 500 metres, with a PB time of 45.950, which he lowered again in the second round with a time of 45.120. He did not advance with third-place finish and will skate in repechage for both distances to try to earn spots in the final rounds.
William Lyons
Lyons was fifth in his 1,500-metre heat, narrowly missing Round 2 qualification. Souris native advanced to the second round in the 500 metres, with a PB time of 45.761, which he lowered again in the second round with a time of 45.449. He did not advance with third-place finish and will skate in repechage for both distances to try to earn spots in the final rounds.
Mia Stewart
Mia Stewart posted seasonal best times in both the 500- and 1,500-metre distances in her Round 1 qualification heats, finishing fourth and eighth in her heats, respectively, but did not advance. The Stratford native will get another chance in the repechage rounds for both distances.
Did you know?
• P.E.I. was one of only three provinces, along with Quebec and Ontario, that had all five male skaters advance to the second round in 500-metre qualifications.
• With Sunday's 500 metre times, five of the seven fastest P.E.I. short track skaters ever in the 500 metres are on this year's Team P.E.I.
Top 7 skaters by their best times:
Scott Beamish - 41.702
Peter McQuaid* - 43.671
Kyle Connell* - 44.296
Andrew McQuaid - 44.363
Andrew Binns* - 44.828
Thomas McQuaid* - 45.120
William Lyons* - 45.449
* - 2019 Team P.E.I. Canada Games member
