Canada's Ivanie Blondin, white armband, Valerie Maltais, red armband, Isabelle Weidemann, yellow armband, react after winning the gold medal final of the women's team pursuit speedskating race at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (Image Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette)

By Canadian Press

medal winners

Canada strikes gold again in women’s team pursuit, climbs to 12 medals at Olympics

Feb 17, 2026 | 11:31 AM

Canada’s speedskaters have won a gold medal in the women’s team pursuit at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

Defending champions Valérie Maltais, Ivanie Blondin and Isabelle Weidemann defeated the Netherlands in the final to top the podium for the second straight Games.

The win marks the first time since 2010 that a country has earned the top spot at back-to-back Olympics.

It was Canada’s 12th medal at the game, and third gold.

Canada held practice ahead of its men’s hockey quarterfinal at the Milan Cortina Olympics, with forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Sam Bennett absent for what head coach Jon Cooper called “maintenance.”

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MacKinnon took a forearm to the jaw in Sunday’s win over France.

Cooper said there is “no panic” ahead of Wednesday’s elimination game against either Czechia or Denmark.

Defenceman Josh Morrissey was a full participant after missing two games with an injury, while veteran forward Brad Marchand is also available after sitting out the final two preliminary contests with an undisclosed ailment.

Canada’s Rachel Homan defeated Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg 8-6 on Tuesday afternoon in women’s curling round-robin play in Cortina.

Canada improved to 4-3 with two games remaining.

Snow and poor visibility in the Italian Alps forced Milan Cortina organizers to postpone the women’s snowboard slopestyle final and freestyle aerials qualification in Livigno.

Laurie Blouin and Juliette Pelchat will have to wait an extra day for the women’s slopestyle final after it was postponed from Tuesday to Wednesday. Blouin, the 2018 Olympic silver medallist, is chasing another podium, while Pelchat advanced in her Olympic debut.

The women’s and men’s aerial qualifying sessions were also delayed and are now set for Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, with both finals Thursday.

Figure skater Madeline Schizas returns to the ice for the women’s singles short program after helping Canada to fourth in the team event and will look to improve on her 18th-place finish at the 2022 Beijing Games.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 17, 2026.