Marianne St-Gelais
A lightning-fast short track skater whose explosive starts and relay brilliance made her a pillar of Canada's Olympic dynasty on ice.
Born 1990 (age 36)·Canadian short-track speed skater·Birthday: February 17·Millennials
Biography
Marianne St-Gelais emerged not just as an athlete, but as a symbol of joyful resilience in a sport defined by its danger and chaos. Hailing from Saint-Félicien, Quebec, she shot to national fame at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, winning silver in the 500m just days after her boyfriend and teammate, Charles Hamelin, won gold. Her electric smile and palpable passion on the podium captured hearts, but it was her technical prowess that sustained her career. A specialist in the short, furious 500m distance, St-Gelais was renowned for her blistering starts and tactical intelligence in the pack. She was also a relay cornerstone, anchoring and strategizing in the team events where Canada excelled. Her career, spanning three Olympics and yielding three silver medals, was built on consistency and clutch performances under the brightest lights, cementing her status as a key figure in one of the most successful eras for Canadian short track.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Marianne was born in 1990, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Marianne Was Born
The biggest hits of 1990
#1 Movie
Home Alone
Best Picture
Dances with Wolves
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Marianne's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1990Born
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1995Started school
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2003Became a teenager
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Could drive
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2008Could vote
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2011Turned 21
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2020Turned 30
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 36 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won two silver medals at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, in the women's 500m and the 3000m relay.
- Earned a third Olympic silver medal in the 3000m relay at the 2014 Sochi Games.
- Captured the overall World Cup title in the 500m distance for the 2015-2016 season.
- Served as the flag bearer for Canada at the opening ceremony of the 2019 Winter Universiade.
Did You Know?
She began dating fellow Canadian short track champion Charles Hamelin in 2009; the couple became engaged in 2016 and have children together.
She is a trained dental hygienist and worked in the field during her skating career.
Her Olympic debut in Vancouver was on her 20th birthday, February 17, 2010.
She has a signature move nicknamed the 'St-Gelais Slide,' a low, sweeping pass used to overtake opponents.
“I just want to skate and have fun, that's when I'm at my best.”
