Valérie Maltais adds another Olympic medal to her resumé
Valérie Maltais put her name among Canadian speed skating greats with her third medal of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, a bronze in the women’s 1500 metres Friday afternoon.
The 35-year-old from Saguenay, Que. earlier won gold as a member of Canada’s team pursuit champions after an individual bronze in the 3000 metres.
“It’s a great surprise. I have five medals now,” said a jubilant Maltais. “My heart was bumping out of my chest; we were jumping into each other.”
Her five Olympic medals—four of which she has won in long track speed skating—rank among Canada’s best, with the likes of Cindy Klassen, Kristina Groves and Clara Hughes. Klassen, from Winnipeg, retired with six Olympic medals, including a gold in the 1500m. Groves, from Ottawa, won four Olympic medals, including two silvers in the 1500m. Hughes, the Winnipegger who switched from road cycling to speed skating, also had four medals on the big oval, including one gold.
“I feel like I’ve been skating really powerful to the ice,” Maltais said of her performance. “It’s a race where I’ve had a hard time finding the right gear and today I found patience. I went into the warmup and felt good pressure and real patience.
“And today I wasn’t afraid to show up and to do my best and see, if it doesn’t work it just doesn’t work. But because I feel so good physically I’m just excited to go to the line and I’m ready to hurt. I’ve been hurting way more in training. So, to have this mentality. I’m not afraid to hurt, to just lift those legs in the corners.”
Maltais had to wait through anxious minutes as the final pairings tried to challenge her time, but she felt confident after a “solid third lap” following a slow start.
“I saw that I finished [the final lap] in 30.7 and I was whoa that’s a solid third lap. I think that’s where I won my race today.”
Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong of Netherlands won the event in one minute 54.09 seconds followed by Ragne Wiklund of Norway in 1:54.15. Maltais finished in 1:54.40.
Ivanie Blondin of Ottawa, also a member of the Canadian team pursuit gold medal team, finished eighth in 1:54.93. Béatrice Lamarche of Quebec City finished 17th in 1:57.65.
Maltais, a focal point of the social media “We are double gold medallists” video posted by the team pursuit squad will chase one last medal in the women’s mass start event on Saturday. Blondin won silver in that event four years ago and will seeking a second straight Olympic podium performance in the mass start.
“Yeah, I’m going for another one, let’s keep it rolling,” Maltais said of what will likely be her last Olympic race, having said before the Games that these would be her last ones.