Canada Secures Bronze in Women’s 3000m Relay Short Track Speed Skating
Team Canada has secured the bronze medal in the women’s 3000m relay at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. This victory is a significant achievement for the Canadian short track speed skating team.
Canada’s Women’s 3000m Relay Team
The successful quartet comprised Courtney Sarault, Kim Boutin, Florence Brunelle, and Danaé Blais. This team also competed in the semifinals, successfully earning their place in the A final.
Race Highlights
The race consisted of 27 laps, and the Canadians took the lead from the start. Notably, an incident occurred just before the midway mark, where a Dutch skater fell after a clash of blades. Nevertheless, the Canadian team maintained their position at the front.
With only a few laps remaining, Blais lost her balance, causing the team to slip to third place, behind competitors from South Korea and Italy. Despite this setback, the bronze medal brought joy and relief after missing the podium at the previous Olympics in Beijing 2022.
Historical Context
This bronze medal marks Canada’s first Olympic medal in the women’s 3000m relay since the Sochi 2014 Olympics. Prior to this, the Canadian team had consistently stood on the podium since the event was introduced at the Albertville Olympics in 1992.
A Personal Triumph for Canadian Athletes
- This medal is the fourth Olympic medal for Courtney Sarault at these Games.
- Only one other Canadian, Cindy Klassen, has achieved four medals in a single Winter Olympics.
- Kim Boutin secured her sixth Olympic medal, tying her with Cindy Klassen and Charles Hamelin as Canada’s most decorated Winter Olympians.
Overall, the bronze medal win in the women’s 3000m relay is a noteworthy accomplishment for Canada, solidifying their legacy in short track speed skating.
