Ivanie Blondin from Ottawa, along with Carolina Hiller from Prince George, B.C., and Beatrice Lamarche from Quebec City, won the gold medal in the women’s team sprint at the ISU Four Continents event in Hachinohe, Japan, on Friday. Blondin also secured a bronze medal in the individual 1,500-metre race. (Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press/File)
Canadian speed skater Ivanie Blondin shone at the ISU Four Continents speed skating championships in Hachinohe, Japan, kicking off the season with a strong performance. The Ottawa native first secured gold in the women's team sprint, alongside teammates Carolina Hiller from Prince George, B.C., and Beatrice Lamarche from Quebec City, setting a track record with a time of 1:27.87.
The team used a slingshot manoeuvre to help Blondin gain momentum for the final lap. Although the move worked effectively, Lamarche noted it felt slightly awkward and rushed during the race. “In practice, the slingshot felt smoother, but it wasn’t at full speed. It may have looked seamless, but I felt off during the entire move,” she said. Lamarche expressed eagerness to refine the technique for their upcoming competition at the World Cup in China, where she believes they can improve.
Trailing behind Canada, South Korea claimed silver, finishing 1.39 seconds slower, and Kazakhstan took bronze, 2.49 seconds behind the winning time.
Blondin later added a personal achievement, winning bronze in the women's 1,500-meter race at 1:57.99. Reflecting on her performance, Blondin said, “I’m satisfied with my 1,500. After our team sprint, I couldn’t properly cool down because we headed straight to the medal ceremony. By the time it ended, I had to put on my suit and return to the ice. Despite feeling less powerful than usual, I realised halfway through the race that my legs felt good, and I was pleased with my final time.”
Japan’s Miho Takagi triumphed in the 1,500-meter event with a winning time of 1:54.86, while China’s Mei Han secured silver at 1:56.53.
Canada celebrated another podium finish in the men's team sprint, where Burnaby's Anders Johnson, Laurent Dubreuil from Levis, Que., and Calgary’s Yankun Zhao clinched bronze. Despite being reigning world champions and world record holders, the Canadian team finished behind the United States (1:19.43) and China (1:19.78).
Johnson expressed satisfaction with the team’s efforts: "It was a solid race for us. We had a new lineup today and performed well. We’re content with the outcome and excited for what’s to come.”
The event continues with more action as Canadian skaters like Blondin, Dubreuil, Ted-Jan Bloemen of Calgary, Valérie Maltais from La Baie, Que., and Ottawa’s Isabelle Weidemann aim to bring home additional medals.
