Leader comment: Elise Christie, all of Scotland is behind you

Elise Christie is one of the best speed-skaters in the world but, right now, she is hurting.

Elise Christie of Britain sits on the ice after crashing during the 500 meters short-track speedskating final (Picture: AP)

After being disqualified three times at the last Winter Olympics, she crashed out on the final lap of her first event in Pyeongchang yesterday.

Christie, from Livingston, was understandably distraught in the immediate aftermath of the race and even her coach said it had been “soul destroying” for her.

But there are two more races to go and Christie has a genuine chance of winning both. How to cope with such setbacks is a very personal thing.

She could draw inspiration from Rudyard Kipling’s poem If and “meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same”. Or perhaps the spider whose repeated endeavours apparently convinced Robert the Bruce to believe that “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again”.

Or she could cast aside all such well-meaning exhortations and rip round the track like the reigning world champion at 1,000 and 1,500 metres that she is.

But, whatever works for her, Christie should know that all Scotland is behind her and wishes her well.