Canadian speedskater Weidemann wins Olympic bronze in women’s 3,000

BEIJING — Canadian speedskater Isabelle Weidemann picked up Canada’s first medal at the Beijing Olympics with bronze in the women’s 3,000 metres.

The 26-year-old from Ottawa finished with a time of three minutes 58.64 seconds at the Ice Ribbon oval.

Weidemann knew she had a medal with the top time heading into the final pairing of Irene Schouten of the Netherlands and Italy’s Francesca Lollobrigida. Schouten skated to the top of the podium in an Olympic-record time of 3:56.93, followed by Lollobrigida at 3:58.06.

No Canadian woman had won a long-track medal since the 2010 Olympics.

“I’m pretty overwhelmed. I was very nervous today, but was so pleased how the race went and to bring home a medal… I was shaky at the start and by four laps in I could feel the fight,” said Weidemann.

“I have a big family and so many friends and staff here, people that believed in me for so long. I am so happy to be bringing something back for them.”

Kristina Groves was the last Canadian to win a medal in the 3,000, racing to bronze in 2010. Cindy Klassen also captured bronze in both 2002 and ’06.

Weidemann arrived in Beijing a medal contender in both the 3,000 and 5,000 metres. She climbed the podium in three World Cups this season, winning silver in Poland, Norway and Calgary.

Her worst finish was a fourth in the 3,000 in Salt Lake City.

Weidemann was one of the Canadian women who finished fourth in the team pursuit at the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang. She was sixth in the 5,000 and seventh in the 3,000.

The women’s 3,000 was the first long-track race of the Games, where Canada is a medal favourite in several events.

The atmosphere at the Ice Ribbon is nothing like previous Games or World Cups, where Dutch fans in particular are known for their garish orange outfits and clanging cowbells.

COVID-19 safety measures restricted the crowd to only a couple hundred fans, who politely clapped as cheering isn’t permitted.