Canadian speedskater Blondin captures 3,000-metre gold at World Cup stop in Japan

By The Canadian Press on November 23, 2024.

NAGANO, Japan – Canadian speedskater Ivanie Blondin won ISU World Cup gold in the women’s 3,000-metre long track competition Saturday.

The 34-year-old skater from Ottawa led the race from start to finish, posting the fastest split time for each lap to clock four minutes 3.76 seconds at the first event of the World Cup season.

Norway’s Ragne Wiklund and Joy Beune of the Netherlands took silver and bronze with identical times of 4:04.60.

Blondin’s gold marked Canada’s second medal in two days after long-track star Laurent Dubreuil of Lévis, Que., took 500-metre silver Friday at Nagano’s M-Wave.

In other notable Canadian results Saturday, Graeme Fish of Moose Jaw, Sask., was fourth in the men’s 5,000 and Valérie Maltais of Saguenay, Que., was fifth in the women’s 3,000.

Competition wraps up Sunday with the team pursuit, second 500 races, the mass start and the mixed-gender relay.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 23, 2024.

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