5,000 metres, Women

Prior to the 2009/2010 season, there was little doubt that Martina Sáblíková would win the Olympic 5,000 m. As the three-time World Champion and world record holder, Sáblíková had little serious competition in the distance. But in the Olympic season, she got competition from a young German skater, Stephanie Beckert. While Beckert had not beaten Sáblíková in the 5,000 m, she had done so twice in the 3,000 m, and Beckert was considered to be stronger in the longer event. A third title contender was the defending champion, Clara Hughes, who, at 37-years-old, was hoping to end her career with a gold medal in Vancouver, and her silver medals in the 2008 and 2009 World Championships showed this was not impossible.

Hughes skated as the first of the favorites. She recorded a very solid performance, with slowly increasing lap times, finishing in 6:55.73, a time that virtually ensured her of a medal. In pair seven, Beckert faced Kristina Groves, who also enjoyed medal hopes on virtue of three bronze medals at the past three World Championships in the 5,000 m. But Beckert soon left the Canadian behind her, and powered on to a new personal best: 6:51.39. This gave Sáblíková a tough assignment, but she was up to the task. Although weakening somewhat in the final part, her gold medal was never really under threat, and she secured her third medal of the Games, and the second gold.