Graeme Fish earns first World Championships medal,
a bronze in the 5000m
Credit: International Skating Union |
SALT LAKE CITY, USA – Itβs been a long time coming for Ted-Jan Bloemen. The 10,000m Olympic Champion from 2018 had yet to stand on top of the podium at an international competition since the Games. He announced his return to form at the ISU World Single Distance Championships in Salt Lake City on Thursday, capturing the gold medal in the menβs 5000m. His teammate Graeme Fish also found the podium with bronze, his first career World Championships medal.Β
Bloemen, a native of the Netherlands who moved to Calgary in 2014, skated a time of 6:04.375, a mere two and a half seconds off the world record pace that he set in Salt Lake City over two years ago.Β
Dutch skater Patrick Roest, who has dominated the long distance events on the international circuit this year, was matched with Fish in the next pair, but did not have the stamina to put up a top-3 time. Fish (Moose Jaw, Sask.) caught Roest in the final laps, crossing the line in 6:06.328, a four-second personal best. Sven Kramer of the Netherlands took silver.Β
Canadaβs Jordan Belchos (Toronto, Ont.) also finished in the top five with a personal best time of 6:12.071.
Earlier in the day, the Canadian ladies took to the ice for the 3000m. Despite being ranked second and third in the long distance World Cup rankings this season, Ottawa natives Ivanie Blondin and Isabelle Weidemann finished off the podium, in sixth and tenth place respectively. ValΓ©rie Maltais (Saguenay, Que.) rounded out the trio with a 12th place finish.Β
The menβs Team Sprint, consisting of Gilmore Junio (Calgary, Alta.), Laurent Dubreuil (LΓ©vis, Que.) and Antoine GΓ©linas-Beaulieu (Sherbrooke, Que.), skated a blistering pace of 1:17.68 to put up the fastest time of the afternoon. Unfortunately, they were disqualified for an early exchange, leaving the podium to the teams from the Netherlands, China and Norway.Β
The ISU World Single Distance Championships continues on Friday with the menβs 10,000m, ladies Team Pursuit and menβs and ladies 500m. Races will be streamed live on CBC Sports beginning at 4:00 pm ET.
βIt feels amazing to be World Champion, especially after two years of struggling to compete with the best in the world. Going into this competition, I felt like I could win again. To be back in the mix at the right time, at the World Championships, is really cool. Iβve had a great team, great training partners and my coaches have been relentless in getting me back on track and keeping my eyes forward. We did this together.β β Ted-Jan Bloemen
βI had a really good race today. Most of my lap times were very flat, I gave it my all and it was nice to catch Patrick [Roest] at the end. Jordan [Belchos] and Ted [Bloemen] are really good teammates who make me better, and our coaches Bart [Schouten] and Todd [McClements], and our whole program, is really working for us and thatβs showing in our results at the World Championships.β
β Graeme Fish
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