Maltais’ bronze adds another milestone in illustrious Olympic career

It had been 16 years since Valérie Maltais made her Olympic debut for Team Canada as a 19-year-old short track speed skater racing in front of home fans at Vancouver 2010.

The La Baie, Quebec native, now 35 and racing in her fifth Olympic Games, laced up for Saturday’s 3000m race in long track speed skating with a goal that has been years in the making.

There was nothing left to prove as far as her resumé goes. Maltais is already one of Canada’s most accomplished speed skaters. She reached the Olympic podium twice with teammates–silver in the 3000m relay at Sochi 2014 and gold in the team pursuit at Beijing 2022. She is the only Canadian speed skater to ever win Olympic medals in both long track and short track.

On Saturday, however, she added another milestone to her legendary career. Maltais won her first individual Olympic medal, and the first medal for Canada at Milano Cortina 2026, a beautiful bronze.

“After 2022, I went into this phase where I told myself I would keep going only if I felt I could win an individual medal,” she said.

“I gave myself two years to really commit, to train hard and focus on the 3000m… (In 2024) I had a discussion with my husband and said, ‘Give me two more years…’ I did not want to come to these Games just to participate. I wanted to show up at the next Olympics as a contender for medals.”

The result was not a surprise. Maltais was among the top skaters in the most recent World Cup season in the women’s 3000m, reaching three podiums, and had hardly slipped in performance since her last Olympic appearance. If anything, she had only improved, and came into Milano Cortina 2026 as a serious medal contender.

The hard work and dedication translated into a time of 3:56.93, the exact time of the previous Olympic record that had been set four years ago at Beijing 2022.

That mark was simultaneously bested by the other skater in her pairing—Italy’s Francesca Lollobrigida—who set an Olympic record with a time of 3:54.28 to win gold.

Norway’s Ragne Wiklund, who topped the women’s long distance standings during this past World Cup season, finished with a time of 3:56.54 for the silver.

“I finished my race and thought ‘Is this going to be enough?’” Maltais said. “The field has been so strong all season, and with the skaters coming after me in the final pairs, I honestly did not know.”

Despite the extremely competitive field, Maltais found a way thanks to her experience and preparation.

“I showed up today ready. There was no stone unturned. I felt more ready than at any point in my career—I was ready to perform.”

Isabelle Weidemann, another medal hopeful for this distance, raced in the final pairing on Saturday. She finished in fifth place with a time of 3:59.24.

Maltais will have the chance at adding a second individual medal in these Games. She is set to compete in the 1500m and mass start, as well as the team pursuit in which Canada is the defending Olympic champions.