After her previous two gold medals, Irene Schouten has now also won a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Beijing. The skater from Hoogkarspel won the battle for the bronze of Russia with the pursuit team.
Together with Ireen Wüst and Marijke Groenewoud, Schouten drove the ‘consolation final’, because the Netherlands was placed in the semi-finals earlier in the day. eliminated by Canada† The Netherlands was therefore sentenced to the B-final with the bronze medal as the highest attainable.
In the run against Russia, which was considered weaker, Wüst had to be the first to start the Dutch train. Thanks to the six-time Olympic champion, the Netherlands immediately took a lead and did not relinquish it in the remainder of the stage. Groenewoud, who replaced Antoinette de Jong in the final, kept well in the footsteps of Wüst and Schouten. The 29-year-old Schouten had to get the job done in the last rounds and did an excellent job. In the end, the Dutch women had a large lead over Russia at the finish.
Gold medals
The bronze in the team pursuit is the third medal for Irene Schouten at these Olympic Games. The Hoogkarspelse already won gold in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters. Schouten will also be in action at the mass start next Saturday.