Canadian speed skater Béatrice Lamarche 5th in women's 1,000 metres of her Olympic debut

A trio of Canadian women made their Olympic speed skating debuts on Monday in the 1,000 metres, with Béatrice Lamarche leading the way in fifth.

Skating in the 14th of 15 pairs, she reached the finish in one minute 14.73 seconds to beat Japan’s Rio Yamada.

Jutta Leerdam of the Netherlands won the gold medal in 1:12.31, taking the Olympic record from teammate Femke Bol, who went 1:12.59 minutes earlier at Milano Speed Skating Stadium.

Japan's Miho Takagi, the 2022 Olympic champion, took bronze in 1:13.95, while 37-year-old Brittany Bowe, in her final Games for the United States, was fourth (1:14.55).

Lamarche’s teammates, Carolina Hiller-Donnelly and Rose Laliberte-Roy, were 26th (1:17.156) and 27th (1:17.150) at Milano Speed Skating Stadium, northwest of Milan.