Canada's Ivanie Blondin, a seasoned speed skater, claimed her second consecutive Olympic silver medal in the mass start event, solidifying her legacy in the sport. This achievement marks a significant milestone, as she becomes the first Canadian woman to win multiple mass start medals at the Games. The race, held in Milan, saw Blondin sprint to the finish line in 8 minutes 35.09 seconds, just 39-100ths of a second behind the gold medallist, Marijke Groenewoud of the Netherlands. This result builds upon her 2022 Olympic performance, where she also secured a silver medal. The 35-year-old Blondin's tenacity and determination have been a driving force throughout her career, and she expressed her pride in this legacy after her final Olympic race. Her success in the women's speed skating event adds to Canada's medal tally, bringing their total to 19 medals, including a bronze in the women's team pursuit alongside Isabelle Weidemann and Valérie Maltais. The mass start event, a chaotic affair with 16 laps, is a testament to Blondin's skill and consistency, as she has now captured silver at each of her last three world championships and won World Cup gold this season. The race also featured a surprise bronze for Blondin in the women's 1,500 meters, adding to her collection of medals. The men's event was dominated by Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands, who skated to Olympic gold at age 40, becoming the oldest speed skating gold medallist ever in long track and at the Winter Games. Bergsma's victory was a result of his early separation from the field, earning him 68 points and a time of 7 minutes 55.50 seconds. The race also saw Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu of Sherbrooke, Quebec, place sixth, while Jordan Stolz of the United States missed out on a potential quartet of gold medals, finishing fourth. The article concludes with a reflection on the rarity of male speed skaters achieving multiple gold medals at a single Winter Games, with the last male to achieve this being Johann Olav Koss at the Lillehammer Olympics 32 years ago.
