Speed skater Isabelle Weidemann wins Canada's first medal at Beijing Winter Olympics

Canada has won its first medal at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

Speed skater Isabelle Weidemann won bronze on Saturday in the women’s 3,000 metres. She is the first Canadian woman to win an Olympic medal in long track speed skating since Vancouver 2010.

“Pretty surreal right now, I’m pretty emotional,” Weidemann said in a television interview with CBC. “I’m very excited and very overwhelmed.”

The Ottawa native took the lead in the second-last race of the competition with a time of 3:58.64, but was overtaken by both of the final two skaters in the timed event. The Netherlands’ Irene Schouten (3:56.93) captured gold, while Francesca Lollobrigida (3:58.06) of Italy took silver.

Isabelle Weidemann (@i_weidemann) is your new leader 🚨

The Canadian sits in top spot right now and has to wait and see 🥇 🥈 🥉

WATCH: https://t.co/KfmWMZ4WUN pic.twitter.com/Lfk94oS0EJ

— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) February 5, 2022

“I was a little bit shaky at the start, I was really nervous going to the line,” Weidemann added. “I knew that I just had to get through the first few laps before I could start to fight and really show the work that I’ve done.”

This is the second Olympic Games for the 26-year-old Canadian, who finished seventh in this event four years ago in PyeongChang.

Two other Canadian skaters competed in the event, with Valerie Maltais finishing 12th and Ivanie Blondin coming in 14th place.

ON THE PODIUM 🇨🇦🥉

Canada has their FIRST appearance on a #Beijing2022 podium courtesy of Isabelle Weidemann with bronze in the 3000m 👏 pic.twitter.com/J2Hl3ekMUJ

— CBC Olympics (@CBCOlympics) February 5, 2022

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