ELISE CHRISTIE was in tears as she crashed out of the final again and she blew Team GB’s first chance of a 2018 Winter Olympic medal.
The Scot was looking good in the 500 metres final, but she collided with a fellow finalist and slid into the boards as Italian Arianna Fontana won in 42.569sec.
The 27-year-old had a hard time of it four years ago in Sochi when she was trolled on social media after crashing and taking out rivals, while she missed out on a medal of any colour then.
Meanwhile she took triple gold at the 2017 World Championships in Rotterdam, but she had never won a world medal at the short distance despite being the world record holder at 42.335sec, a mark she set in 2016.
Choi Minjeong was the home darling as she was announced to the crowd in front of a rapturous Korean audience, but her day turned into a nightmare as she was disqualified.
Holland’s Yara van Kerkhof was promoted to silver and Kim Boutin of Canada to bronze.
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A distraught Christie said: “Just in my feelings I was knocked over, I didn’t fall on my own.
“There was five people in the final and it doesn’t give you any benefit once someone gets a penalty.
“It’s just tough, I’ve worked so hard for the 500, it’s just been taken away from me.
“In the semi final I got crashed in and ended up in lane four.
“I know it’s short track and I’m supposed to be prepared for this but it still hurts.
“Hopefully I’ve got a few days to reset, it’s about a week until my best distance, so that’s as positive.
“I don’t think I’ll be taking much positives tonight.”
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