March 14/04 5:00 am - Hughes Gold at World Championships

Posted by Editoress on 03/14/04
 

SEOUL, Korea

Clara Hughes of Glen Sutton, Que., achieved her season-long goal on Sunday as she won the gold medal in the women‚s 5,000-metres at the long track speed skating world single distance championships.

The victory at the season-ending meet capped another magnificent performance by the Canadian long track speed skaters. Jeremy Wotherspoon of Red Deer, Alta., added silver in the men‚s 1,000 and Cindy Klassen of Winnipeg took bronze in the women‚s 1,000. Canada ended the competition with six medals, two of each colour.

In the women‚s 5,000, Hughes clocked seven minutes and 10.66 seconds for her first world title. Gretha Smit of the Netherlands was second in 7:11.17 and Claudia Pechstein of Germany third in 7:13.42.

Kristina Groves of Ottawa was eighth.

The victory is another feather in Hughes sporting cap. The former national team cycling star is the only Canadian to win a medal at both a summer and winter Olympics. In cycling she never won a world title but did place second at the 1995 cycling worlds in the individual time trial.