Elise Christie begins Winter Olympics redemption by winning opening heat

On a day when six out of the 10 British athletes in action crashed, and another finished last in the cross-country skiing, there was even more pressure on Elise Christie’s tiny shoulders than usual. So it spoke volumes about her mettle that she responded by smashing the Olympic 500m short-track speed skating record – laying down a hefty marker for the rest of these Winter Games.

True, it was only the first heat, and Christie will have to battle through two more rounds to reach the final in a sport where medal hopes can be sliced and diced on a rival’s blade in a millisecond.

Yet such was the destructive ease of her first performance at these Games, leading from first step to last before crossing the line in 42.87sec, it was little surprise to hear her proclaim that she believes she is in world record shape. “I don’t think I’ve ever been on a start line and felt so nervous, even in finals,” she said. “It was just the anticipation of waiting for the first race. Finally getting out there and doing it is just a relief.”

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You can hardly blame her for being apprehensive. Four years ago in Sochi, Christie was one of Britain’s main medal hopes only to have 500m silver ripped from her after she was penalised for a crash, and she was also disqualified in the 1000m and the 1500m.

“I have small fears of that happening again,” she admitted. “You know you’re at the Olympics, you can’t avoid it – there’s rings everywhere. But I’m glad the first one’s out of the way now.”

Christie and the rest of the skaters were watched by a 150-strong army of North Korea cheerleaders, who supported skaters from the South, sung patriotic songs and waved unified Korean flags. They got even louder when Choi Min-jeong trimmed a little off her Olympic record barely five minutes later. But Christie does not appear worried about the Korean superstar, who is her main rival for gold.

“I am definitely in better shape than I was when I broke the world 500m record,” the 27-year-old from Livingston warned. “I normally get faster with each round, so I am hoping I can break my world record and, as long as the ice stays in good condition, there is a chance of that for sure.”

However, it was a grim day for Britain’s other short-track speed skaters, with Farrell Treacy crashing into a barrier in the 1500m, Kathryn Thomson being dumped on her backside when she lost her balance and Charlotte Gilmartin being disqualified when she was adjudged to have caused a crash.

“I’m devastated with that,” said Gilmartin. “It’s always hard to call but you can’t change the referees decision, you have to respect that.”

There was a similar tale of woe and ill-fortune over in Phoenix Park as Britain’s trio of fancied slopestyle snowboarders all crashed in failing to make Sunday’s final.

Jamie Nicholls, who was sixth four years ago in Sochi, was perhaps the most unlucky having appeared to be harshly marked in his first run. His score of 71.56 was enough for only eighth in his group, with the top six qualifying. “I felt so confident in training and I was actually a bit gutted about my first run score,” he said. “I was thinking mid 70s which was what I was hoping for, judging on what some of the other guys did but it wasn’t to be.”

Billy Morgan, who was 10th in Sochi, admitted a serious knee injury had been a problem as he finished 12th in his group with a best run of 56.40. “I’m pretty gutted,” he said. “I had a really strong practice and I went in feeling good and chilled. On the second run I had so much headwind, there was just nothing I could do about it. I barely made it over the jump. It’s just a bad roll of the dice I guess.”

Rowan Coultas could score only 23.58 in his first Olympic competition. “I’m gutted,” the 20-year-old said. “I fell on a trick that I’m normally pretty strong at. I’ve landed it quite a few times in training but I didn’t get it right.”

The cross-country skier Annika Taylor was also left disappointed after she placed last of the 60 finishers in the ladies 7.5km + 7.5km skiathlon.” I hope that this race just blew the cobwebs away a little bit and I can go and enjoy that race and fight back,” said the 24 year old, who competes in the women’s 10km free on Thursday. “The event is something I’ve been really looking forward to all year so I hope I can go out and deliver.”

In the men’s luge, Britain’s Adam Rosen and Rupert Staudinger lie 24th and 33rd respectively out of 40 athletes after the first two rounds.