Ivanie Blondin is back in a familiar spot — which is a very good thing.
The Canadian speedskater won silver in the women’s mass start for the second Olympics in a row on Saturday, likely capping a fabulous Winter Games career for the 35-year-old Ottawa native.
It was remarkably similar to earlier in the Games when Blondin joined Isabelle Weidemann and Valerie Maltais to win their second Olympic gold in a row in team pursuit.
“People have probably put up with far too much of stuff since I was very, very young,” Blondin told CBC Olympics when asked about her feistiness.
“The feistiness has always been within me. But that’s also what (drove) my career, that’s also why I’m still here, still fighting for medals. I’m proud of that, I’m proud of that legacy to leave behind.”
Canada now has 19 medals at Milano Cortina 2026 — four gold, six silver, nine bronze — with one day remaining.
In a late dash to the finish in mass start, Blondin was one of several skaters to get away from the pack. She ended up second, behind reigning world champion Marijke Groenewoud of the Netherlands.
Mia Manganello of the U.S. won bronze.
Maltais finished fifth after battling back from an early fall, narrowly missing a fourth medal at these Games.
Blondin, 35, has been one of the best Canadian speedskaters since making her Olympic debut in 2014. She has won five gold medals at the world championships, including two in mass start.
Meanwhile, 40-year-old Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands won gold in the men’s mass start, taking a commanding lead and then gliding and celebrating en route to the finish.
Canada’s Antoine Gelinas-Beaulieu finished sixth.