Medals update: Irene Schouten wins third gold of Beijing 2022 in speed skating women’s mass start

Netherlands' Irene Schouten has won gold in the women's speed skating mass start in a race that sparked into life on the final lap.

Schouten was in second place with just metres to go after Canada's Ivanie Blondin had taken the lead from her when the Dutch athlete ran wide on a corner.

However, Schouten, who now has three gold medals at these Games (mass start, 3000m and 5000m), refused to be beaten, digging deep to regain the lead just strides from the finish line. Blondin held on for silver and Italy's Francesca Lollobrigida came home third to win bronze.

In a race that saw four world champions take their place on the start line, reigning world champion Marijke Groenewoud fell during the final and was unable to compete for the title.

Schouten, champion of the world in 2015 and 2019, adds yet another gold medal to her collection and her fourth medal of any colour at the Games after her bronze in team pursuit.

Schouten will leave Beijing with a clutch of medals and was ecstatic with her performance in one of the most challenging speed skating races on the Olympic Winter Games programme.

"This is something I didn't dare to dream about," she said. "I know I'm very lucky that everything worked out at the right moment. I'm very thankful for this to happen.

"It's just amazing that I was able to pull it off again today. The mass start is such a difficult event, you never know what happens, and it's always tricky. Not everything went according to plan today, but luckily it all worked out at the finish.

"I think I deserved to win today."

Referencing her final push to the line that saw her overtake Canada's Blondin with only metres to go, Shouten added: "When I came out of the final corner, I felt like I had more speed than Ivanie Blondin."

"I just flew over that finish line, it's just amazing."

Blondin, who won the silver medal, compared the ferocious nature of the mass start final to roller derby after she kept her cool to come home second.

"I'm really happy. I'm on the podium and that was my goal. I think I maybe should have been more patient on the final lap. Maybe I went a little bit early. I thought I had it. The last lap was a little crazy," she said.

"There was a lot of jostling and a lot of hand grabs. I got grabbed by my hips and pulled back. I'm not sure which skater did it but I fought for my position. It fires me up when these things happen, I am very competitive and don't back down from a fight.

"For me it is so much fun. I love the mass start. There is so much strategy, when to go. It's a roller derby out there."