Canadians capture 3 medals at World Cup speed skating event in Beijing

Canada won three medals at the speed skating World Cup stop in Beijing on Saturday.

In the women's mass start, Ottawa's Ivanie Blondin won silver and Valerie Maltais of La Baie, Que., took bronze. Dutch skater Marijke Groenewoud claimed gold with a blistering time of eight minutes 24.71 seconds, more than 13 seconds faster than Blondin.

"It's fun to be on the podium as teammates. It's a rare occasion but I'm sure it will happen more in the future," Blondin said of Maltais in a statement released by Speed Skating Canada.

Blondin admitted competing has been a struggle this week while battling an illness.

"I'm trying to stay positive and get through the weekend, doing as much as I can do with the energy I have left in the tank," she said.

It was only the second time in World Cup history that Canada had two female skaters on the podium in the distance, the first happening last season in Tomaszow Mazowiecki, Poland.

WATCH | Blondin earns mass start silver medal, Maltais adds bronze in China:

Groenewoud broke away from the pack near the midway mark of the 16-lap race and cruised to an easy victory. Blondin (8:37.58) and Maltais (8:37.74) controlled the action in the chase pack until the final sprint, before breaking away.

"We had a great strategy. We knew going into the race that the Dutch skaters would simultaneously attack," said Blondin. "I said that I would go after one attack at the beginning, but then I knew I had to conserve myself if I wanted to make it to the finish line."

The bronze was Maltais's second medal on the World Cup circuit, having previously captured silver in Poland last season. For Blondin, it marked a return to the podium at the Ice Ribbon, where she previously won 2022 Olympic silver in the mass