Quebec has a history of producing and attracting elite speed skating talent in both long and short track since four-time Olympic medalist Gaétan Boucher put speed skating on the map in Canada, when he won silver at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, then two gold and one bronze in Sarajevo at the 1984 Winter Olympics. Many of today's top speed skaters cite Gaétan as an inspiration, such as five-time Olympic medalist and Quebec resident Clara Hughes, who admitted that watching him skate at the 1988 Olympics in Calgary was what convinced her she wanted to be a speed skater.
Quebec has also become Canada's stronghold of elite short track speed skaters, with nine out of Canada's 10 short track 2010 Olympic athletes born and raised in the province of Quebec.
In all, a total 12 speed skaters from Quebec will compete for medals in both long and short track at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics:
