Canada’s Courtney Sarault secured a silver medal in the women’s 1,000-metre final at the Milano Cortina Olympic Games, marking her third podium finish at the event. The 25-year-old athlete from Moncton, N.B., now boasts a total of three medals from these Winter Games, including a bronze in the women’s 500m final and a silver with Canada’s mixed relay team.
Expressing her excitement, Sarault described the achievement as a dream come true, emphasizing her dedication to showcasing her skills in every race. She acknowledged the tough competition among the talented field of athletes, noting the importance of making strategic decisions and racing smartly to secure victory.
In the final race, Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands claimed first place with a time of 1:28.437, followed closely by Sarault at 1:28.523, and Kim Gilli of South Korea securing the bronze with a time of 1:28.614. Sarault led for the majority of the race before being overtaken by Velzeboer, with Kim moving into second position in the closing laps.
Reflecting on her performance, Sarault expressed pride in her effort, although she admitted to a minor error during the race. Despite this, she commended her determination and effort, recognizing the strong competition she faced.
Sarault’s achievement of three medals at a single Games places her in the company of teammate Kim Boutin, who accomplished the same feat at the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics. Sarault’s success in the women’s 1,000m event represents a significant improvement over her performance at the Beijing 2022 Games.
Looking ahead, Sarault remains focused on upcoming races, including the women’s 3,000m relay final on Wednesday and the women’s 1,500m event starting with the quarterfinals on Friday. With more opportunities to add to her medal collection, Sarault is determined to continue pushing herself.
In other events, the Canadian men’s 5,000m relay team secured a spot in the medal final, while individual male athletes excelled in the 500m heats. Overall, Canadian athletes have amassed a total of 10 medals at the Milano Cortina 2026 Games, comprising one gold, four silvers, and five bronzes.
