Winter Olympics 2022 - Irene Schouten achieves distance double with stunning 5000m Games record

Irene Schouten produced the best Winter Olympic 5000m performance in women's speed skating by winning her second gold of the Games in Beijing. The Dutch athlete — who is also the 3000m champion — crossed the line in an Olympic record time of 6:43.51, smashing the previous best mark by over three seconds which was set 20 years ago in Salt Lake City, to beat Canada's Isabelle Weidemann and Martina Sablikova to the title.

Ad/> World record holder Natalia Voronina was the woman to beat at the halfway point, setting a time of 6:59.99, but the experienced Sablikova was about to obliterate that. Beijing 2022'My reputation on the line' — Ice maker denies Dutch speed skating claims3 HOURS AGO The Czech, a three time Olympic champion who won the first of her titles at Vancouver 2010, came back from the break to refresh the ice by knocking 6.90 seconds off Voronina's effort.

She looked to be on course to upgrade her silver from PyeongChang 2018, until Weidemann produced a sensational time of 6.48.18 to dislodge the Czech by almost 2 seconds. But the best was to be saved for last, as the in-form Schouten took to the ice.

The 29-year-old was up on Weidenmann's time right from the start and her advantage only grew as her effort against the clock went on. 'Fantastic Olympic record' — Schouten storms to 3000m speed skating gold Beijing 2022 Olympic Games: Schedule, big names, key events and more Schouten crossed the line to record an Olympic best time, with Eurosport commentator Carlton Kirby exclaiming: «Remember this moment! So special!».

The victory added to her 5000m success at the World Championships last year, and she will be hoping to make it an Olympic treble of gold medals when she is likely to go in the mass start. — — - Watch