Winnipeg’s Heather McLean continued her successful speed skating season on Saturday by capturing a bronze medal in an ISU Speed Skating World Cup event in Stavanger, Norway.
The 23-year-old finished third in the women’s 500-metre race with a time of 38.02 seconds. She crossed the finish line behind China’s Jing Yu (37.63) and Hong Zhang (37.82). McLean was fifth in the weekend’s first 500-metre race on Friday, seven-hundredths of a second off the podium
The medal marks McLean’s third of her World Cup career. McLean won her first ever individual medal last month by placing third in the women’s 500-metre race in Inzell, Germany. She collected her first ever World Cup medal, a bronze in the women’s team sprint, earlier in the season in Calgary.
“I didn’t want the first time I earned a medal this season to be just a fluke so I’m happy to get another one this season,” said McLean in a news release. “It’s good to know that I was able to take what I did wrong in (Friday’s) race and make it better in today’s race. So as long as I can keep that mindset going into the World Single Distance Championships, no matter what happens it’ll be a success in my mind.”
Joining McLean in Kolomna, Russia next month at the world championship is fellow Winnipegger Shannon Rempel. The 31-year-old claimed the final spot available in the women’s 500-metre race by logging the fastest combined time at this weekend’s World Cup event. Rempel finished fifth on Friday with a time of 38.99 seconds prior to her 39.04 second place showing on Saturday.
“It’s been an interesting season so far,” said Rempel in a news release. “I’m happy to see how things are going so far and this is big stepping stone right now for me to qualify for the World Single Distance Championships.”
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