Team Canada won two mass start medals at the 2024 World Speed Skating Championships in Calgary on Saturday. Canadian Olympic gold medalist Ivanie Blondin of Ottawa, Ontario won the silver medal in the women’s mass start, and Antoine Gelinas-Beaulieu of Sherbrooke, Quebec won the bronze medal in the men’s mass start.
In the women’s mass start, Irene Schouten of the Netherlands won gold, and Marijke Groenewoud of the Netherlands won bronze. In the men’s mass start, Bart Swings of Belgium won gold and Livio Wenger of Switzerland won bronze.
Blondin won the Olympic gold medal in the women’s team pursuit at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. It was one of two medals she won at the last Olympic Winter Games. The other came in the mass start where she won silver, ironically only behind Schouten. In all, Blondin has now won 15 medals at the World Speed Skating Championships (five gold medals, eight silver medals and two bronze medals).
Gelinas-Beaulieu has now won six World Championship medals. This was his third medal in Calgary after winning gold in the team sprint and bronze in the team pursuit. The medals for Blondin and Gelinas-Beaulieu will give them confidence as they prepare for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan/Cortina d’Ampezzo.
