China’s Han Mei clinched the bronze medal in the women’s 1,000-meter race at the final stop of the International Skating Union (ISU) Speed Skating World Cup in Heerenveen, the Netherlands, on Saturday.
Competing against home favorite Jutta Leerdam, Han delivered a strong performance, finishing just 0.53 seconds behind Leerdam, who took the gold with a time of 1:14.27. The silver medal went to Japan’s Miho Takagi, who clocked in at 1:14.49.
This achievement comes just a day after Han secured another bronze in the women’s 1,500-meter event, cementing her place as one of the top skaters this season. She currently stands third in total points for both events.
In the men’s 1,000-meter race, Han’s compatriot Ning Zhongyan narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth with a time of 1:08.07. The gold was claimed by Dutch skater Jenning de Boo, who led the pack with a time of 1:07.45. The silver went to Cooper McLeod of the United States, and Dutchman Tim Prins took bronze.
Han Mei’s consistent performances highlight China’s growing presence in the world of speed skating, inspiring young athletes back home and across the Global South to pursue excellence in winter sports.
