Long track speed skater Valérie Maltais came within two seconds of obtaining a second medal at the World Cup in Stavanger, Norway. The Quebecer gave everything in the 5000m and finally placed fourth in this long event “which scares [her]” on Sunday.
When we say “gave everything”, it’s because Maltais was seeing double when he still had six laps to go, or half the full distance.
“I knew I was close to the podium, but when I finished I didn’t know exactly where I was. It was blackout, but we continue! » said in an interview the one who posted a time of 7 min 5.6 sec (6 seconds).
The Czech Martina Sablikova won in 6:59.6, while the Dutch Marijke Groenewoud (3.67 seconds) and the Norwegian Ragne Wiklund (4 seconds) accompanied her on the podium.
“It’s an ordeal that scares me, quite honestly! Twelve and a half laps, 25 turns, it’s a distance that I’m learning to do better and better and that I’ve been working on,” mentioned Valérie Maltais, decorated with bronze on Friday in the mass start.
On Saturday, the athlete from La Baie felt more tired and ranked 11th in the 1500m. She decided to call her teammate Isabelle Weidemann in the evening, who was away at the World Cup in Stavanger. The words of the 5000m silver medalist at the Beijing Olympics soothed her.
She recovered as much as possible and felt ready before Sunday’s race. By being part of the last pair alongside Wiklund, eventual bronze medalist, Valérie Maltais was able to see where her opponents were for this first 5000m of the World Cup season.
“When I saw the times, I went to the start line with confidence. The better it went, the more I felt like I could do something good,” she added.
After watching her race, Maltais believes she will be able to improve her start in preparation for the next 5000m, which will take place at the World Championships.
“I saw that I was a little guarded at the beginning. Wiklund had more enthusiasm and that’s something I can do better. Being more active could get me on the podium. »
For his part, Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu concluded the Stavanger World Cup by skating the 1500m on Sunday. He clocked 1:48.08 and finished 18th.
Long track speed skaters will return to action next weekend in Tomaszow Mazowiecki, Poland.
Canadians Ivanie Blondin, Carolina Hiller and Maddison Pearman won bronze in the team sprint at the Speed Skating World Cup on Sunday.
They completed the three-lap sprint in 1:28.34.
Blondin shone in the last lap and Canada finished close to the Dutch, silver medalists in 1:28.17.
Blondin is from Ottawa, Hiller from Prince George and Pearman from Ponoka, Alberta.
The Americans triumphed in 1:27.92.
This podium was the second this season for Canada in the women’s team sprint, following silver at the World Cup last month in Beijing.
Hiller replaced Brooklyn McDougall of Calgary, who competed in China.
On the men’s side, Josh Telizyn (Fort St-John, British Columbia), Anders Johnson (Calgary) and Vincent De Haître (Cumberland, Ontario) took fifth place in the team sprint.
