Canada's Weidemann, Maltais and Blondin end their team pursuit era

Isabelle Weidemann, Valérie Maltais and Ivanie Blondin won Olympic gold in the team pursuit in Milan in what they described as their final race together; Weidemann said it was "probably" her last race.

Isabelle Weidemann, Valérie Maltais and Ivanie Blondin won gold in the Olympic team pursuit in Milan in what the trio described as their final race together. The race echoed their Beijing victory four years earlier: Canada fell behind and then rallied, with Weidemann leading a comeback to finish nearly a second ahead of the Netherlands. The team celebrated together on the podium and skated to a Shania Twain song. For Weidemann, the result followed a difficult four-year cycle marked by physical strain and struggles with mental health. Notable details: - The Canadian trio won the team pursuit final in Milan, finishing nearly one second ahead of the Netherlands. - The same three skaters won gold in the team pursuit at the Beijing Games four years earlier. - Isabelle Weidemann is 30, and Valérie Maltais and Ivanie Blondin are 35. - Weidemann said this was "probably" her final race; Maltais and Blondin said this is their final Olympics, though Maltais intends to continue racing World Cups and both will still compete in the mass start at these Games. - Weidemann described years of heavy training, recovery periods and struggles with anxiety and identity, and said she has found interests and relationships outside of sport. Summary: The victory marked a closing moment for a group that has defined Canadian long-track speed skating for much of the past decade. Maltais and Weidemann each now have four Olympic long-track medals and Blondin has three Olympic medals across long and short track. Maltais and Blondin will still enter the mass start at these Games and Maltais plans to keep competing on the World Cup circuit; Weidemann said her career is likely over. Impact on the wider long-track program is undetermined at this time.