By Sakura Murakami
BEIJING (Reuters) -Canada won gold in the women’s speed skating team pursuit after a mishap by the Japanese team cost them the top prize at the Beijing Olympics on Tuesday.
Defending champions Japan started strong as they raced at the National Speed Skating Oval, keeping a steady half-second lead ahead of their Canadian rivals.
But a slip by Japan’s Ayano Sato in the final stretch towards the finish line after losing her balance cost them their title.
The team slowed as they realised she had fallen, raising their hands in despair before crossing the finish line 11 seconds behind the Canadians, who finished the race in an Olympic record time of two minutes 53.44 seconds.
The fancied Netherlands team, which counts gold medallists Irene Schouten and Ireen Wust in their ranks, won the bronze medal after crashing out in the semis in a race they lost to Canada.
(Reporting by Sakura MurakamiEditing by Shri Navaratnam)
