Canada's Graeme Fish celebrates after winning the men's 10,000 metres at the world speed skating championships on Feb. 14, 2020, in Kearns, Utah.Rick Bowmer/The Associated Press
Canada’s Graeme Fish set a world record to win a gold medal in the men’s 10,000 metres on Friday at the world single distances speed skating championships.
Fish, from Moose Jaw, Sask., finished in 12 minutes 33.868 seconds, breaking fellow Canadian Ted-Jan Bloemen’s world record set in 2015 (12:36.30).
“I really wasn’t focused on getting the world record,” Fish said. “I just knew I needed to do this time or that time. I just kept going with the flow. Once I got comfortable, it kind of just went well for me.”
It was the second medal in as many days for the 22-year-old Fish, who captured bronze Thursday in the 5,000 at the Utah Olympic Oval.
Both podium finishes are the first for him at a world championship event.
“This gold medal means a little bit more to me than the world record,” Fish said. “It could have been done numerous times before I did it. We never really get to skate here for a 10K. It’s awesome. I can’t believe it.”
Bloemen also was back on the podium, finishing second in the 10,000 (12:45.010) after winning the 5,000.
Germany’s Patrick Beckert was third.
Fish also became the first man from outside the Netherlands to win gold in the 10,000 at the world single distances championships. This year is the 20th time the event has been held.
Later, Ottawa’s Ivanie Blondin and Isabelle Weidemann and Valérie Maltais of Saguenay, Que., won bronze for Canada in the women’s team pursuit. Japan was first and the Netherlands was second.
The event runs through Sunday.