Canada's Dubreuil wins men's 500m gold for 2nd speed skating World Cup medal in Poland
Ottawa's Blondin takes women's mass start silver
Laurent Dubreuil continued a successful weekend by securing gold in the men's 500-metre event on Sunday at the World Cup speed skating stop in Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Poland.
The Lévis, Que., native was coming off of a silver-medal performance in the first 500m race on Saturday with a time of 34.77 seconds, and topped that mark with a time of 34.73 on Sunday.
Dubreuil edged China's Tingyu Gao by 0.06 seconds for top spot on Sunday, also earning his 30th career World Cup medal in the process.
WATCH | Dubreuil earns 500m gold:
Poland's Damian Żurek skated to bronze in front of a home crowd at the Ice Arena Tomaszów Mazowiecki with a time of 34.87.
"It was a really good race and I'm really happy," said Dubreuil to Speed Skating Canada. "My start wasn't quite as good as yesterday, but I attacked my first corner really well. It was my best lap and my best speed this year. I'm happy when I win a medal, but when I win, I have nothing to say.
"I'm sure there are a few things I could have done better, but when it comes down to it, it's not a big deal. We'll see about the other races, but today I did what I had to do. It's a great end to my trip and to the weekend."
Two other Japanese competitors in Yuma Murakami (310) and Tatsuya Shinhama (304) trail Dubreuil in the overall standings.
Canada's 2022 Olympic silver medallist in the 1,000m event has been dominant in the 500m discipline, placing first in the World Cup standings in the 2022/23 season, and finishing in the top three the three seasons prior.
WATCH | Dubreuil wins silver in Saturday's race:
"Before the weekend, I was a bit disappointed with the way I was skating," said Dubreuil to Speed Skating Canada. "I made a few small corrections and modifications and by the end of the weekend, I was feeling really good, powerful, explosive and technically in control... I feel like I'm back, confident and looking forward to the second half of the season.
"Today, though, I'm not thinking about the second half of the season. I'm thinking about this win and the second place I took yesterday. I can finally enjoy it tonight. I have a sense of accomplishment."
Blondin earns 2nd silver medal of weekend
Ottawa's Ivanie Blondin won her second silver medal of the weekend by securing a second-place finish in the women's mass start with 40 sprint points.
Irene Schouten of the Netherlands claimed gold with 60 points, and American Mia Kilburg-Manganello took bronze with 20 points.
"I'm happy with today's outcome," said Blondin to Speed Skating Canada. "Unfortunately a mistake in the final turn with how I set myself up cost me the gold but that's ok. I'll remember for next time."
WATCH | Blonding skates to silver:
Valérie Maltais of Saguenay Que., placed sixth with four points, but still held onto second-place in the World Cup standings with 183 points - only four behind current leader Kilburg-Manganello.
Blondin sits right behind with 168 points.
"It was pretty feisty out there today," said Blondin. "Unfortunately I don't think there are enough camera angles for how dirty it can be at times. I think this cost Val a medal today too which was also unfortunate."
Blondin and Maltais combined with Béatrice Lamarche of Quebec City to take silver in the women's team pursuit on Saturday.
WATCH | Canada takes silver in women's team pursuit on Saturday:
Earlier on Sunday, Blondin placed sixth in the women's 1,000m race in a time of 1:16.92, 1.64 seconds back of gold medallist Miho Takagi of Japan.
The sixth-place finish is the best of the season for Blondin in the 1,000m event, as the 33-year-old now sits in sixth in the World Cup standings with 135 points, trailing first-place Takagi by 93.
"I'm happy to have finished the weekend on a high note with a sixth in the 1000m and a silver," said Blondin. "I'm also very excited to go home and get some well deserved rest to recover from the illness still affecting me from China."
Maddison Pearman of Ponoka, Alta., finished 18th on Sunday with a time of 1:18.92 and is in 20th in the World Cup standings.
Bloemen narrowly misses men's 5,000m podium
Calgary's Ted-Jan Bloemen finished just off of the podium in the men's 5,000m event with a time of 6:26.25, just 1.59 seconds back of bronze medallist Davide Ghiotto of Italy.
Patrick Roest of the Netherlands claimed gold with a 6:18.01 time, with Norway's Hallgeir Engebråten taking silver in 6:23.84.
WATCH | World Cup speed skating action from Poland:
Bloemen sits in third in the World Cup standings with 183 points, while Ghiotto (216) and Roest (214) are battling for the top two spots.
Graeme Fish of Moose Jaw, Sask., finished 15th on Sunday and slots in at 17th in the World Cup standings.
With files from Speed Skating Canada
