CALGARY — Ted-Jan Bloemen’s two young children surprised him at Thursday’s unveiling of Canada’s Olympic long-track speedskating team for the Milano Cortina Games.
When the 39-year-old was introduced in Calgary, his daughter Fiene and son Thias ran to hug their dad wearing red shirts with “Proud of my dad” on the front, and “My dad is the best” on the back.
“It’s going to be so exciting to compete at the Olympics with the kids in the stadium,” Bloemen said. “It’s already special, but having the kids there, it’s going be extra special. I’m so proud of them and now they can be proud of me too.”
Calgary’s Bloemen joins Ottawa’s Isabelle Weidemann and Ivanie Blondin, Valérie Maltais of La Baie, Que., and Laurent Dubreuil of Lévis, Que., among the veterans leading Canada’s 15-skater team into Milan, where speedskating will be contested in a temporary venue in an exhibition centre.
Weidemann, Blondin and Maltais will attempt to defend their gold medal in women’s team pursuit.
Weidemann, 30, earned 5,000-metre silver and 3k bronze in Beijing in 2022. Blondin, 35, was a silver medallist in mass start. Dubreuil, 33, was a silver medallist in the men’s 1,000 metres in Beijing.
Bloemen won men’s 10k gold and 5k silver in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in 2018.
“Of course I want to win. I’m going to give it everything I have to do so,” Bloemen said. “If I’ve done that, then I can be satisfied.”
Canadians have claimed long-track medals in every Winter Games since 1994, and collected 42 overall in the history of Winter Olympics.
Maltais, 35, is a five-time Olympian. Blondin will appear in her fourth.
“I’ve never been to Italy, so that’s excitement for me,” Blondin said. “It’ll be my fourth and most likely final Games as I’m getting older and I feel a little bit like a grandma on the team.
“You never want to take these moments for granted, but definitely a little more relaxed right now, especially going into these Games. We medalled for the team pursuit in Beijing and the silver medal for the mass start, the pressure is a little bit more off on my shoulders.
“I still put a lot of pressure on myself to perform, which I’ve always done, so that will not be changing any time soon, but I’m looking forward to these ones and enjoying them like I did in 2014.”
Calgary’s Brooklyn McDougall, Beatrice Lamarche of Quebec City, Rose Laliberte-Roy of Saint-Étienne-de-Lauzon, Que., Carolina Hillier Donnelly of Prince George, B.C., and Laura Hall of Salmon Arm round out the Canadian women racing in Milan.
Joining Bloemen and Dubreuil on the men’s side will be Cédrick Brunet of Gatineau, Que., Daniel Hall of Salmon Arm, B.C., Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu of Sherbrooke, Que., Calgary’s Anders Johnson and David La Rue of Saint-Lambert, Que.
Weidemann carried Canada’s flag in the closing ceremonies in Beijing after her triple-medal performance. She says she struggled to find power in her skating after Beijing, but feels her form has returned.
“I changed a lot in my training program over the year,” she said. “I’ve really relied on, or in previous years, I’ve relied on my fitness to carry me through and we switched things. I did a lot more work in the weight room and less on the bike, which is very different for me and I think has helped me maintain strength, but also prevent injury throughout the year
“As my body’s changed, as I’ve gotten older, it’s been difficult to kind of figure that out and so I’m really happy with how I’m feeling. Hopefully I can carry that through.”
The women’s 3k on Feb. 7, which is the day after the opening ceremonies, is the first long-track medal race in Milan.
“I would feel happy if I felt like I skated to my potential and I was able to showcase the work that I’ve done,” Weidemann said. “I really want to go in and feel in control of how I’m racing and feel powerful.
“The previous years I haven’t felt that racing a lot. This year, finally I feel like I’m able to put that out in the last few laps. I’m able to close some gaps and feel strong at the end. That’s how I want to feel.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 15, 2026.
Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press
