Maltais, Blondin, Weidemann repeat as Olympic champions in women’s team pursuit

MILAN — Canada’s Valérie Maltais, Ivanie Blondin and Isabelle Weidemann defended their Olympic title in the women’s team pursuit on Friday at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games.

The Canadian trio captured gold for the second consecutive Olympics, repeating their victory from Beijing 2022.

Canada advanced to the final after defeating the United States by just over four seconds in the semifinal at the Milan Speed Skating Stadium. In the other semifinal, the Netherlands edged Japan by slightly more than one tenth of a second to secure its place in the gold-medal race.

Maltais, Blondin and Weidemann previously won gold in Beijing, where Japan’s Nana Takagi fell in the closing stages of the final.

Maltais has now earned two medals at the Milano Cortina Games, having claimed bronze earlier in the week in the women’s 3,000 metres.

The gold medal increases Canada’s total to 12 at the Games, including three gold.