CTVolympics.ca
February 14, 2010

Groves grabs bronze in 3,000m

Canadian Kristina Groves has won a bronze medal for Canada.

The Ottawa native placed third in the Ladies 3,000-metre event at the Richmond Oval on Saturday.

The Czech Republic's Martina Sablikova took the gold medal, while Germany's Stephanie Beckert won the silver in the seven-and-a-half lap race.

Groves faced Beckert in the 13th race of the day, placing a time of 4:04.84. A fourth ranked skater in the world in the discipline, the Ottawa native came into these Winter Olympics with two silver medals in the 1,500-metre race and the team pursuit at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin.

"It was a phenomenal race for [Groves]," Klassen said of her teammate. "She did so well. It was a gutsy performance and I'm just so excited for her."

Hughes skated to a fifth place finish, placing a time of 4:06.01.

Although her specialty is the 5,000-metres, the 37-year old Hughes raced the 3,000m in this year's World Cup season; placing fifth, seventh twice and eighth. She's also a gold medal winner in the 5,000-metre at the 2006 Torino Olympics.

Cindy Klassen skated against Catherine Raney Norman of the United States. The Winnipeg-born native finished the race with a time of 4:15:53 to place 14th.

"It was incredible. Even while I was warming up, the crowd was so loud and energetic and almost tears came to my eyes," Klassen said following her race. "It was emotional. It was pretty amazing."

The 3,000m is not considered Klassen's specialty; her best World Cup result before the Games was ninth place. Coming off double knee surgery in 2008, her bid to regain the form she had in Turin four years ago is still very much a work in progress.

The race was delayed because of problems with the ice surface at the mid-point break in competition. There were concerns that resurfacing conditions differed on the inner and outer lanes, setting up the possibility of inconsistent conditions between the lanes for the faster skaters who take the track last in the event.

Results in the women's Speed Skating 3,000m at the Richmond Oval:

1. Martina Sablikova (CZE) 4:02.53
2. Stephanie Beckert (GER) 4:04.62
3. Kristina Groves (CAN) 4:04.84

4. Daniela Anschutz Thoms (GER) 4:04.87
5. Clara Hughes (CAN) 4:06.01
6. Masako Hozumi (JPN) 4:07.36
7. Ireen Wust (NED) 4:08.09
8. Maren Haugli (NOR) 4:10.01
9. Nancy Swider-Pelz Jr. (USA) 4:11.16
10. Renate Groenewold (NED) 4:11.25
11. Diane Valkenburg (NED) 4:11.71
12. Jilleanne Rookard (USA) 4:13.05
13. Katrin Mattscherodt (GER) 4:13.72
14. Cindy Klassen (CAN) 4:15.53
15. Shiho Ishizawa (JPN) 4:15.62
16. Anna Rokita (AUT) 4:16.42
17. Catherine Raney Norman (USA) 4:16.59
18. Svetlana Vysokova (RUS) 4:16.91
19. Noh Seon-Yeong (KOR) 4:17.36
20. Galina Likhachova (RUS) 4:17.63
21. Eri Natori (JPN) 4:18.18
22. Wang Fei (CHN) 4:18.42
23. Lee Ju-Youn (KOR) 4:18.87
24. Luiza Zlotkowska (POL) 4:19.13
25. Fu Chunyan (CHN) 4:20.62
26. Park Do-Yeong (KOR) 4:20.92
27. Catherine Grage (DEN) 4:20.93
28. Katarzyna Wozniak (POL) 4:22.35

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