BEIJING, China — Canada’s Isabelle Weidemann won the bronze medal in the 3,000 meter long track speed skating event on Saturday at the Beijing Olympics.

Weidemann, 26, crossed the finish line in 3:58.64 and temporarily took the lead with two other skaters to go, Dutch Irene Schouten and Italian Francesca Lollobrigida .

Schouten clocked an Olympic record 3:56.93 to win the gold medal while Lollobrigida took the silver in a time of 3:58.06.

Originally from Ottawa, Weidemann became the first Canadian since 2010 in Vancouver to win a medal in long track speed skating.

Kristina Groves was the last Maple Leaf representative to win an Olympic medal in the 3,000 meters, winning the bronze medal in front of her fans. Cindy Klassen also won bronze in 2002 and 2006.

Weidemann arrived in Beijing as a medal hopeful in the 3,000 meters and 5,000 meters. She has reached the podium three times this season at the World Cup, finishing second in Poland, Norway and Calgary.

Her worst finish was fourth in the 3,000 meters in Salt Lake City.

Weidemann was one of the Canadians to finish fourth in the team pursuit at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. She finished the 3,000 meters event in seventh place and the 5,000 meters in sixth place.

Valérie Maltais, from La Baie, stopped the clock at 4:04.27 and finished the race in 12th position. Ivanie Blondin of Ottawa clocked 4:06.40 to take 14th place.

The women’s 3,000 meter event is one of the first in long track skating at the Games, where Canada is a favorite for a medal in several events.

Ranking of the women’s 3000m long track :

1. Irene Schouten (NED) 3:56.93

2. Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA) at 1.13

3. Isabelle Weidemann (CAN) 1.71

4. Martina Sablikova (CZE) 3.41

5. Ragne Wiklund (NOR) 4.51

6. Miho Takagi (JPN) 4.84

7. Carlijn Achtereekte (NED) 5.28

8. Antoinette De Jong (NED) 5.44

9. Ayano Sato (JPN) 6.47

10. Evgenia Lalenkova (ROC) 6.49

11. Natalia Voronina (ROC) 6.91

12. Valerie Maltais (CAN) 7.34

13. Nadezhda Morozova (KAZ) 8.04

14. Ivanie Blondin (CAN) 9.47

15. Han Mei (CHN) 10.81

16. Maryna Zuyeva (BLR) 11.77

17. Ahenaer Adake (CHN) 15.35

18. Nikola Zdrahalova (CZE) 16.20

19. Mia Kilburg (USA) 16.49

20. Claudia Pechstein (GER) 20.23