BEIJING – Short track speed skater Farrell Treacy had been waiting four years for his luck to turn and it finally did in the semi-final at the Olympics.
The 26-year-old was the unlikeliest of finalists in the 1500m, advancing automatically after an illegal overtake by Canada’s Charles Hamelin in the semi.
A chaotic series of heats produced a ten-man final for the first time in Games history and for a fleeting moment, the nation dreamed he could ‘do a Bradbury’ and win an Olympic medal.
“You know there’s going to be carnage,” said the West Midlands native.
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“I was just trying to stay out of trouble, there were people trying to steal places and I just didn’t want to get involved with any of it really.
“I hoped there would be a little bit more fighting and be there and maybe take advantage of a couple of bumps. I didn’t want the race to go fast.”
Treacy was never in the mix at the front of the final and a big personal best and British record of 2:11.988 was only good enough for ninth.
He had shown tactical nous and composure through the rounds, somehow managing to stay on his feet after Hamelin made his daredevil move on the inside midway through the semi-final.
“I saw Charles make a move up the inside and I didn’t want to let him pass,” said Treacy.
“I knew somebody was coming around my outside and I blocked out the track thinking, ‘he’s going to pull out now, there’s no way he’s going to go for it’, and he still went for it.
“I looked at my coach straight after and thought, ‘is this an advancement?’ and he nodded his head. We made eye-contact and then I knew I was in the final.”
Making the medal final, the first British man since Sochi 2014 to do so, was payback for a painful four years of funding cuts, serious injuries and latterly Covid worries.
Short track had its funding removed in 2018 with Farrell, brother Niall and the rest of the senior squad having to forge their own path to Beijing.
Treacy concurrently has been recovering from a broken leg and ankle, twisted knee, damaged ligaments and hip surgery.
And he contracted Covid in mid-January on a training camp in Salt Lake City, leaving him waiting on last-minute negative tests to even reach his second Games.
“There have been so many periods where I’m thinking someone up there is trying to tell me that this sport isn’t for me, it’s not made for me,” said Treacy.
“But I love this sport, this is what I want to do. When I’m healthy, there have been times I’ve put out some pretty good performances and I’m thinking I can do something.
“That keeps on driving you. To get to an Olympic final, and be a finalist, it makes it worth it.”
It also marked a remarkable turnaround from Treacy’s opening race at these Olympics, the 1000m, that saw him miss the bell for the final lap and sprint too early.
Treacy clearly relished the chance to add a sprightly chapter to the sport’s unfortunate recent history.
“Everyone associated with short track in the last few years have had an excruciating time,” he said. “Being in an Olympic final is a massive achievement for my sport.
“Hopefully everyone at home is proud of me and I’ve done them justice.”
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