3,000 metres, Women

Due to the reduction in overall speed skating athlete quota, the number of skaters in the 3,000 m had been reduced from 22 to 20. The heavy favorite for the gold in Beijing was Irene Schouten, who had won the first two World Cups of the season by large margins, and had also claimed the European title in January. She had gotten close competition from compatriot Antoinette de Jong, the 2021 World Champion, and Francesca Lollobrigida, who had won the third 2021/2022 World Cup in Schouten’s absence.

The first contenders for a medal came in the third pair. Defending champion Carlijn Achtereekte, who had only narrowly qualified for the Dutch team, faced Miho Takagi, the 2018 all-around world champion. Despite challenge, Takagi led all the way to 4:01.77, dethroning Achtereekte. De Jong, in the first pair after the ice preparation break, attacked that time, but faded in the second half of her race and finished in 4:02.37, which eventually would bring her eighth place.

The 2010 champion Martina Sáblíková also attacked Takagi’s time, but managed to keep a gap of around one second, eventually finishing in 4:00.34. In pair nine, reigning 1,500 m World Champion Ragne Wiklund recorded the fastest time after 2,200 m, a second ahead of Sáblíková. But while Wiklund faded, her pairmate Isabelle Weidemann ended with two solid laps to become the first under 4 minutes with 3:58.64.

Per her usual tactics, Lollobrigida led from the start in the final pair, trailed by Schouten. Both were well below Weidemann’s pace halfway through the race. Schouten passed the Italian after 2 km, but Lollobrigida managed to cling on, and just 0.29 seconds separated the two at the bell. Schouten then powered away to a new Olympic Record (3:56.93), while Lollobrigida held on for silver – the first ever Olympic speed skating medal by an Italian woman.

Despite placing in the back of the field, 2002 champion Claudia Pechstein broke several records. This race meant her eighth Olympic Winter Games appearance, tying the record in any sport for most participations, held by Japanese ski jumper Noriaki Kasai. Just two weeks shy of her 50th birthday, she also became the oldest female winter Olympian, and the second-oldest Olympic speed skater (behind Albert Tebbit).