Legend Catroina Le Might Doan cheers on host-nation athletes in bid to comply with in her boots from 1998
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The final time the globe’s high long-track pace skaters raced for worlds glory at Calgary’s Olympic Oval it became The Catriona Le Might Doan Present for Canada.
A gold within the 500 metres …
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And a silver within the 1,000, launching the soon-to-be Olympic queen to legendary standing throughout the nation.
“We undoubtedly have large sneakers to fill,” stated Ivanie Blondin, forward of Thursday’s begin to the 2024 ISU World Velocity Skating Championships. “However I believe we’re up for that problem.
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“It’s tremendous thrilling,” continued Blondin, one of many leaders and medal threats for Canada for the four-day occasion, which wraps up Sunday. “Positively we’ve seen home-ice benefit prior to now, so I’m excited for that. And simply the ambiance already … it’s good to have everybody sort of assist us. I’m simply actually wanting ahead to a house world championships.”
After all, being at house doesn’t come with out the obliged strain.
Canada’s already a high speed-skating nation, so taking part in host to the world championships — which options about 200 skaters from 20 nations — doesn’t come with out expectations.
Loads of them, the truth is.
“To host the world in our personal facility, to welcome folks, to welcome our rivals and opponents to our house, the place we will actually put ourselves in one of the best place to compete and carry out on the high of our talents, is an thrilling second for us,” stated Velocity Skating Canada coach Mark Wild. “That is if you’re examined after all of the preparation the athletes have completed and all of the exhausting work our coaches, our built-in assist staff and our medical staff have completed.
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“There’s not essentially a goal,” continued Wild, when requested in regards to the quantity of medals in thoughts for Canadians on the worlds. “Clearly, we’re trying to attempt to win as many medals as we probably can. On the identical time, coming off the 4 medals at World Cup 6 in Quebec Metropolis (two weekends again) and 6 the weekend earlier than at World Cup 5 in Salt Lake Metropolis, I believe our athletes count on themselves to be standing on the rostrum, and if that occurs, that’s incredible.
“However we simply respect each athlete for what they do for our staff.”
High of thoughts of the 19 Canadian athletes competing in Calgary is Blondin herself.
The double-medallist from the 2022 Beijing Olympic Video games has a dozen world championship medals to her identify, together with two gold within the mass begin in each 2016 and 2020 and golds in every of the staff dash and staff dash final yr.
Blondin joins Ottawa’s Isabelle Weidemann — a triple-medallist in Beijing and four-time medallist at worlds — and Quebec’s Valérie Maltais — a triple-medallist at worlds — as those to observe for Canada among the many feminine stars.
“At this level, I believe it’s real looking to say I’m aiming for 3 podiums — staff pursuit, staff dash and the mass-start occasion,” stated the 33-year-old Blondin, an Ottawa native. “So, hopefully, all goes nicely. However you simply by no means know what might occur. Like final occasion, we fell within the staff dash, and it was a really unlucky race, but it surely occurs. You already know … I’d quite it occur in that World Cup than right here.
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“However we’re able to go for it,” continued Blondin. “Within the staff pursuit and within the staff dash, as nicely. And within the mass begin, Val and I’ve been working very well collectively. So I’m actually wanting ahead to seeing the way it all performs out. However, yeah, I’m principally simply excited. I don’t need to put an excessive amount of strain on my shoulders. I simply need to have enjoyable with it and simply take pleasure in.”
The hometown crowd can take pleasure in watching the Canadian males excel, as nicely.
Quebec’s Laurent Dubreuil has already had seven worlds medals draped round his neck, together with a gold in staff dash and a silver within the 500-metre dash — each earned final yr.
As has Netherlands-born Ted-Jan Bloemen, together with his seventh coming final yr with bronze within the 10,000.
Canmore’s Connor Howe has two worlds silvers, together with his newest carved out final yr in staff pursuit.
Saskatchewan’s Graeme Fish has a gold — within the 10,000 — and a bronze — within the 5,000 — from the worlds in 2020.
And there’s a dozen others, as nicely, hoping to tack on to Canada’s medal success.
“Yeah … Canadians have been doing nicely, which is thrilling,” stated Le Might Doan, now CEO and president of Sport Calgary. “Ivanie — she’s been actually dominating the previous few years. Isabelle, who received three medals and was the closing ceremony flag-bearer in Beijing on the Olympics. And Laurent has been on the rostrum virtually each single World Cup within the 500 metre.
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“I believe the place we’re struggling — and it is a bit irritating for me — is within the ladies’s 500, which is what my race was,” added the double-medallist from these final worlds hosted on the Olympic Oval in 1998. “My children suppose it’s actually cool that I nonetheless have the Canadian document, which is sort of neat to a degree. However information are made to be damaged. So, hopefully, we will have a Canadian perhaps break that document come the worlds.”
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Don’t be stunned to see information in jeopardy on the Oval, says Le Might Doan. “Calgary continues to be the quickest ice on the earth.” … “To this system, to the power, to sport generally, that is so nice to see worlds again in Calgary,” added Le Might Doan. “You already know … to be celebrating a legacy facility of 1988 that’s nonetheless among the finest on the earth, it’s such enjoyable — I adore it. This is sort of a second house to me. And to see a variety of acquainted faces is nice. And to see a variety of the brand new faces is nice, as nicely, as a result of that’s about increase that subsequent era.” … The worlds start with the three,000-metre ladies’s race at 12:30 p.m. Thursday. It’s the identical begin time for Friday and Saturday, as nicely. Sunday’s closing day begins at midday … Shuttle service is being supplied to and from Canada Olympic Park, the place each curling’s Scotties — at WinSport — and the World Cup half-pipe — on the COP hill — start Friday, giving Calgarians an opportunity to soak up all occasions at their comfort over the subsequent few days.
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CANADIANS AT THE WORLDS
B.C.
Alison Desmarais
Carolina Hiller
Anders Johnson
Abigail McCluskey
ALBERTA
Ted-Jan Bloemen
Connor Howe
Maddison Pearman
Yankun Zhoa
SASKATCHEWAN
Graeme Fish
MANITOBA
Heather Carruthers
ONTARIO
Jordan Belchos
Ivanie Blondin
Vincent De Haitre
Hayden Mayeur
Isabelle Weidemann
Jake Weidemann
QUEBEC
Laurent Dubreuil
Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu
Valérie Maltais
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