Canada’s Blondin wins silver in mass start speedskating

Canada's Ivanie Blondin (12) competes during the women's mass start speedskating finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

MILAN — Canadian speedskater Ivanie Blondin has won a silver medal in the women’s mass start at the Milan Cortina Games.

The 35-year-old from Ottawa was also a silver medallist in the event in 2022. It was her second medal of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Blondin, Valérie Maltais of La Baie, Que., and Ottawa’s Isabelle Weidemann captured gold in the women’s team pursuit earlier in the Games. The Canadians were the defending Olympic champions.

Blondin’s result gave Canada its fifth long-track speedskating medal in Milan.

Maltais fell at the beginning of the mass start race, but recovered to place fifth. She won three medals in Milan, adding bronze in both the 1,500 and 3,000 metres to her team pursuit gold.

Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu, of Sherbrooke, Que., finished sixth in the men’s mass start final.

Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands won the gold, Denmark’s Viktor Hald Thorup took silver, and Italy’s Andrea Giovannini claimed bronze.

The mass start is head-to-head racing over 16 laps with points awarded for sprints during the race.

There’s tactical passing and often body contact in the long-track event, similar to its short-track cousin.

The Canadian Press