Béatrice Lamarche Places 5th in Olympic 1,000m Speed Skating Debut
In an impressive Olympic debut, Canadian speed skater Béatrice Lamarche finished fifth in the women’s 1,000 meters competition. This event took place at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium.
Béatrice Lamarche’s Olympic Performance
Competing in the 14th pair out of 15, Lamarche crossed the finish line in a time of 1:14.73. This time allowed her to surpass Japan’s Rio Yamada.
Medal Winners
- Gold: Jutta Leerdam (Netherlands) – 1:12.31 (Olympic record)
- Silver: Femke Bol (Netherlands) – 1:12.59
- Bronze: Miho Takagi (Japan) – 1:13.95
- Fourth Place: Brittany Bowe (USA) – 1:14.55
Lamarche’s teammates also competed but did not medal. Carolina Hiller-Donnelly finished 26th at 1:17.156, while Rose Laliberté-Roy placed 27th with a time of 1:17.150.
Upcoming Races
The 27-year-old skater is set to participate in the women’s 500 meters this Saturday and the 1,500 meters on February 20. She will join teammate Valérie Maltais, who secured a bronze medal in the women’s 3,000 meters.
Season Overview
Lamarche’s performance is part of a breakthrough season. She secured two Canadian titles in October and won her first individual-distance World Cup medal, earning bronze in Salt Lake City. Her personal best of 1:12.77 is near the Canadian record of 1:12.68, established by Christine Nesbitt in 2012.
Mental Resilience
Béatrice Lamarche’s success is also attributed to her mental development over the past four years. Initially struggling with anxiety and competition comparisons, she has since shifted her focus. Collaborating with a mental performance professional has enabled her to concentrate on her own performance rather than competing against others.
“My goal wasn’t necessarily to be good; it was to beat everyone else,” Lamarche stated. Now, she embraces a more relaxed competitive mindset, recognizing that others’ success does not diminish her achievements.
