Blondin wins second straight Olympic silver medal in women’s mass start

Ivanie Blondin has won the silver medal in the women’s mass start in long track speed skating at Milano Cortina 2026.

She crossed the line second in the 16-lap race behind only Marijke Groenewoud of the Netherlands. Mia Manganello came through for the bronze. Valérie Maltais came back from a spill early in the final to finish fifth.

Unlike the men’s final just before, which saw two skaters break away and nearly lap the field, the finalists in the women’s event stayed tightly packed together for most of their race. That calmer pace set up a sprint finish on the final lap.

This is the third Olympic Games to include the mass start event. Blondin won Canada’s first Olympic medal in the event, taking silver four years ago at Beijing 2022.

She now has four Olympic medals, having also won back-to-back gold medals in the women’s team pursuit with Maltais and Isabelle Weidemann.