Speedskater Charles Hamelin tops in short-track qualifying heat

Canada's Charles Hamelin won his 500-metre qualification heat with a time of 42.034 seconds on Friday at a World Cup short-track speedskating meet in Nagoya, Japan. Teammate Olivier Jean was third.

2010 Olympic champion bests China's Wenhao, Canadian teammate Olivier Jean

Canada's Charles Hamelin won his 500-metre qualification heat with a time of 42.034 seconds on Friday at a World Cup short-track speedskating meet in Nagoya, Japan. (Peter McCabe/Canadian Press)

Canada's Charles Hamelin won his 500-metre qualification heat with a time of 42.034 seconds on Friday at a World Cup short-track speedskating meet in Nagoya, Japan.

Hamelin, the 2010 Olympic gold medallist , was 0.129 seconds faster than China's Liang Wenhao. Canadian Olivier Jean was third-fastest in 42.643.

China's Wang Meng clocked the fastest time in qualifying for the women's 500 metres with a time of 44.740 seconds. South Korea's Park Seung-hi was second in 44.389 while Canada's Marianne St. Gelais finished third with a time of 44.561.

The Nagoya meet is the third of six International Skating Union World Cup short track events. The final for the men's 500will be held Sunday.