Winter Olympics 2018: Elise Christie suffers more heartbreak as she crashes out of the 500m final and blows Team GB’s first chance of gold medal
Italian Arianna Fontana won the gold but Scotswoman Christie was in tears once again after her hand was knocked off balance by the skate of Dutchwoman Yara van Kerkhof in an eerily similar incident to four years ago
HISTORY repeated itself for a distraught Elise Christie as she crashed out during her bid to win Team GB's first medal of the 2018 Winter Olympics.
The Scot was looking good in the 500 metres final, but Holland's Yara van Kerkhof collided with her balancing hand and the Brit slid into the boards, as Italian Arianna Fontana won gold 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 - and she missed out on a medal of any colour then.
Today's final was exactly four years after the similar incident occured in the Russian final, when she collided with new champ Fontana.
Christie's hopes were looking up.
She took triple gold at the 2017 World Championships in Rotterdam, but she had never won a world medal at the shorter distance half-kilometre despite being the world record holder at 42.335sec.
Choi Minjeong was the home darling as she was announced to the crowd in front of a rapturous Korean audience, but the 19-year-old's day also turned into a nightmare as she was disqualified after crossing the line inches behind Fontana.
Holland's Van Kerkhof was promoted to silver and Kim Boutin of Canada to bronze after Minjeong's DQ that stunned the home crowd.
Edinburgh ace Christie was absolutely distraught as she did her post-race interview with a tissue, with the reality setting in that she was leaving empty handed.
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She 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."