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Canadian long-track speedskaters win gold in women's team pursuit

Alexa Scott, right, reaches out to Isabelle Weidemann, centre, Ivanie Blondin and Valerie Maltais after they won the gold medal and set an Olympic record in the speedskating women's team pursuit finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) Alexa Scott, right, reaches out to Isabelle Weidemann, centre, Ivanie Blondin and Valerie Maltais after they won the gold medal and set an Olympic record in the speedskating women's team pursuit finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
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BEIJING -

Canadian speedskater Isabelle Weidemann has won her third medal of the Beijing Games, reaching the top of the podium Tuesday in the women's team pursuit with Ivanie Blondin and Valerie Maltais.

They beat Japan to win gold in an Olympic record time of two minutes 53.44 seconds.

Japan had a slight lead entering the final turn but Nana Takagi went down on the final turn and crashed into the padding, allowing Canada to cruise to the win.

Takagi appeared to lose her balance and couldn't recover.

Weidemann, from Ottawa, previously won silver in the 5,000 metres and bronze in the 3,000 at the Ice Ribbon.

The same trio of Weidemann, Ottawa's Blondin, and Maltais, from Saguenay, Que., beat the Netherlands in the semifinal earlier in the day.

Alexa Scott of Clandeboye, Man., is also on the Canadian roster but did not race on the final day.

The Netherlands beat Russia for the bronze.

Canada did not qualify for the semifinals in men's team pursuit. Norway beat Russia for gold and the United States took the bronze.

Toronto's Jordan Belchos, Calgary's Ted-Jan Bloemen and Winnipeg's Tyson Langelaar beat South Korea in the C final to finish fifth overall.

Team pursuit involves three skaters per country racing both head-to-head against another team and the clock.

The discipline made its Olympic debut at the 2006 Turin Games in Italy.

Canada won silver in women's team pursuit that year and hadn't returned to the Olympic podium in the event until Beijing.

Blondin, Weidemann and Josie Morrison finished fourth at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games in South Korea.

Weidemann is only the second Canadian long-track speedskater to win more than two medals at a single Games. Cindy Klassen won five medals in Turin.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 15, 2022.

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