Valérie Maltais's speed skating bronze Canada's 1st medal of Milano-Cortina Olympics

Valérie Maltais of La Baie, Que., collected her first individual medal at her fifth Winter Olympics, earning bronze in the women's 3,000 metres on Saturday in Milan.

Maltais covered seven-and-a-half laps at Milano Speed Skating Stadium in three minutes 56.93 seconds.

Teammate Isabelle Weidemann of Ottawa, who grabbed 2022 Olympic bronze in Beijing, crossed the line in 3:59.24.

Italy's Francesca Lollobrigida won Saturday's race in an Olympic-record 3:54.28 after capturing silver four years ago in China.

Ragne Wiklund of Norway finished behind Lollobrigida in Italy, stopping the clock in 3:56.54.

Valérie Maltais wins 3,000m speed skating bronze for Canada's 1st medal at Milano Cortina 2026