Team Canada wins second straight Olympic gold medal in women’s team pursuit

Team Canada’s incredible trio of Ivanie Blondin, Valérie Maltais, and Isabelle Weidemann have won their second straight Olympic medal in the women’s team pursuit, taking gold at Milano Cortina 2026.

They won the gold medal four years ago at Beijing 2022.

The Canadians advanced into Final A with their easy victory against the United States in the semifinal. Though the Americans got out to an early lead, the Canadians executed their race plan to perfection and by the midway mark had gotten faster than their opponents. They ended up winning the head-to-head showdown by 4.22 seconds and were just two and a half seconds off the Olympic record they set in the final in Beijing.

In the team pursuit, the three skaters on each team can change positions throughout a race. But after testing several options this season, the Canadians have gone with the strategy of putting Weidemann, who stands over 6 feet tall, at the front of the line for the entire race, providing a great draft for Maltais and Blondin behind her.

Blondin, Maltais, and Weidemann began competing as a team pursuit trio after Maltais switched over from short track to long track speed skating ahead of the 2018-19 season. They have reached the podium at five straight ISU World Single Distances Championships, winning one gold (2023), two silver (2021, 2024), and two bronze (2020, 2025).

More to come.