HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA – Four recent ISU World Junior Championships teammates reached the 500m long track podium at the 2023 Canada Winter Games on Wednesday, with Alberta’s Jalen Doan and Manitoba’s Sofia Bieber brining home gold. Quebec was also victorious in the women’s Team Pursuit.

Calgary’s Doan (AB) won his second consecutive gold medal of the Games, posting a Canada Games record time of 0:36.88 in the men’s 500m, breaking the mark of 0:37.00 previously held by Jacob Graham (BC). The Calgary native was also the fastest in Tueday’s 1500m. Fellow Albertan and World Junior Championship teammate Yankun Zhao (0:37.08) won silver, while Quebec’s Zacharie Després (0:38.12) was third, earning him his second bronze medal in as many days.

Men’s 500m Top-5

• 1^st Jalen Doan (AB) 0:36.88
• 2^nd Yankun Zhao (AB) 0:37.08
• 3^rd Zacharie Després (QC) 0:38.12
• 4^th Ryan Kulbacki (MB) 0:38.45
• 5^th Luca Veeman (SK) 0:38.49

Bieber (MB) also brought home her second medal of the Games, adding 500m gold to the 1500m silver she captured yesterday. The Winnipeg native’s time of 0:42.25 placed her ahead of Alberta’s Maya Lueders (0:42.76), also a World Junior Championships participant, and Quebec’s Camille Tremblay (0:43.49).

Women’s 500m Top-5

• 1^st Sofia Bieber (MB) 0:42.25
• 2^nd Maya Lueders (AB) 0:42.76
• 3rd Camille Tremblay (QC) 0:43.49
• 4th Cloé Jelonek (QC) 0:43.69
• 5^th Skylar Van Horne (MB) 0:43.95

The afternoon saw Quebec win convincingly in the women’s Team Pursuit. The team of Ariane Fournier, Émilie Greenfield, Cloé Jelonek and Camille Tremblay crossed the line in 3:49.78, over eight seconds faster than silver medalists Manitoba (3:57.55) and bronze medalists Alberta (3:58.47).

Women’s Team Pursuit

• 1^st Quebec 3:49.78
• 2^nd Manitoba 3:57.55
• 3^rd Alberta 3:58.47
• 4^th Saskatchewan 4:02.78
• 5^th Ontario 4:12.43

The full results from today’s races are available on GemsPro. Fans can also re-watch the races on-demand by visiting canadagames.ca/watch.

Skaters will be back at the Emera Oval in Halifax tomorrow for the women’s 3000m, men’s 5000m and the rescheduled men’s Team Pursuit, which was postponed Wednesday due to weather. Action wraps up on Friday with the 1000m and Mass Start.

Quotes

“I didn’t actually realize that I’d beat the Canada Games record but I was really excited knowing that Laurent Dubreuil held that record before and he is one of the best Canadian sprinters at the moment. I’m hoping that it says something about my future in this sport.”

Jalen Doan (AB)

“I feel amazing about getting my second medal, I definitely feel that I carried my momentum here at the second day at the Canada Games.”

Sofia Bieber (MB)

“We have really good chemistry off the ice, so when we stepped onto the ice today, we were able to get the best out of each other and put forth a performance that led us to gold.”

CONTACT
Alain Brouillette
Speed Skating Canada
Patinage de vitesse Canada
communications@speedskating.ca
613-601-2630

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