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Charles Hamelin, left, won the previously elusive individual gold medal, with Francois-Louis Tremblay, right, taking bronze in the 500. (Ivan Sekretarev/Associated Press)

Under heavy criticism for underperforming at the Vancouver Games, the Canadian men’s small-track team responded on the final night of competition at Pacific Coliseum with gold in the 5,000-metre relay, and gold and bronze in the 500 metres.

Charles Hamelin won the men’s 500 and Francois-Louis Tremblay was third in the race on Friday night.

The pair then came back about an hour later with Francois Hamelin and Olivier Jean of Lachenaie, Que., to win the relay.

The results give Canada 10 gold medals in Vancouver, the first country to reach the total.

The 500 gold-medal final Friday was up for grabs when a crash occurred in the final turn, with Sung Si-Bak of South Korea and Montreal’s Tremblay sent crashing.

Hamelin hung on to his balance and crossed in first ahead of Apolo Ohno of the United States.

Ohno would be disqualified after the judges conferred, charged with knocking Tremblay away. Sung captured silver.

Hamelin of Sainte-Julie, Que., had endured personal disappointment in the 1,000 and 1,500 races earlier in the Games, failing to reach the podium despite high expectations.

The 25-year-ancient crossed in 40.981 seconds. He was quickly embraced by girlfriend Marianne St-Gelais, who has won two speedskating silver medals in Vancouver.

Tremblay won silver in the event at the 2006 Torino Games and was also part of the silver-medal relay team, as was Hamelin.

Hamelin won his semifinal in the men’s 500 metres, with Olivier Jean of Lachenaie, Que., just edged out by Sung Si-Bak of South Korea.

Tremblay and seven-time U.S. medallist Apolo Ohno advanced in a semi that saw four-time Olympic medallist Lee Ho-Suk of South Korea spinning out of his own accord.

Kalyna Roberge of Montreal and Calgary’s Jessica Gregg were eliminated in the semis in the women’s 1,000 metres, with veteran Tania Vicent of Laval, Que., disqualified in the quarter-final heat.

Vicent won a fourth Olympic medal in the women’s relay on Wednesday with Roberge, Gregg and St-Gelais, who hails from Saint-Félicien, Que.

Charles Hamelin is entered in the men’s 500 and as part of the relay team final on Friday at Pacific Coliseum. (Ivan Sekretarev/Associated Press)

Canadians Charles Hamelin and Francois-Louis Tremblay advanced to the final of the men’s 500 metres on the final night of Olympic small-track speedskating at Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver.

The men’s 500 metre final will start at 7:14 p.m. PT.

Canada will also compete in the men’s 5,000-metre relay final against four other countries at 7:51 p.m., the last race of the night.

Charles Hamelin of Sainte-Julie, Que., won his semifinal in the men’s 500 metres, with Olivier Jean of Lachenaie, Que., just edged out by Sung Si-Bak of South Korea.

Hamelin has endured disappointment in the 1,000 and 1,500 races earlier in the Games, failing to reach the podium despite high expectations.

Montreal’s Francois-Louis Tremblay and seven-time U.S. medallist Apolo Ohno also advanced to the final. They were aided in part by four-time Olympic medallist Lee Ho-Suk of South Korea spinning out of the semifinal of his own accord.

Tremblay won silver in the event at the 2006 Torino Games and was also part of the silver-medal relay team, as was Hamelin.

Kalyna Roberge of Montreal and Calgary’s Jessica Gregg were eliminated in the semis in the women’s 1,000 metres, with veteran Tania Vicent of Laval, Que., disqualified in the quarter-final heat.

Vicent won a fourth Olympic medal in the women’s relay on Wednesday with Roberge, Gregg and Marianne St-Gelais of Saint-Félicien, Que.

Wang Meng of China advanced to keep her hopes alive of three gold medals. She won the 500 and was part of China’s winning relay team.