By Sakura Murakami
BEIJING (Reuters) – Irene Schouten of the Netherlands scooped up her second Beijing Olympics gold medal when she won the women’s 5000 metre speed skating event on Thursday, as the Dutch team continued to dominate on the ice.
For the second time in the Winter Games, Schouten also broke an Olympic record that had stood untouched for 20 years since Salt Lake City as she whizzed around the oval in ever faster laptimes and crossed the finish line in six minutes and 43.51 seconds.
Canada’s Isabelle Weidemann finished almost five seconds behind the Dutchwoman but claimed the silver in 6:48.18. Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic, who won gold in the women’s 5000 metres in both Vancouver and Sochi, took bronze in 6:50.09.
Schouten, who also won gold in the 3000 metres in Beijing, adds her name to a list of skating greats including German Claudia Pechstein to win double gold in the 3000 metres and 5000 metres in the same year.
(Reporting by Sakura Murakami; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
