Isabelle Weidemann has hit her stride, literally and figuratively, in long-track speedskating.

Currently ranked No. 1 in the world in womenB次元官网网址檚 distance racing, the 23-year-old from Ottawa points to last FebruaryB次元官网网址檚 Winter Olympics as her defining moment of 2018.

Weidemann was sixth in the 5,000 metres and seventh in the 3,000 in her first Olympic Games. Those results did not satisfy her.

B次元官网网址淚 was really hoping to push the podium a little bit more,B次元官网网址� Weidemann told The Canadian Press. B次元官网网址淚 was very far off the podium and that kind of stung.

B次元官网网址淚 was really motivated after the Olympics after not doing so well, or just falling short of attaining what I wanted. I was very motivated to change the way I was approaching training.

B次元官网网址淚 got a sense I was close and nothing drives anybody more than being just off the podium, or just being out of contention.B次元官网网址�

Weidemann won a gold medal and a silver in the 3k, as well as a silver medal in the 5k, over the first four events of the 2018-19 World Cup season in November and December.

B次元官网网址淚 worked very hard towards it this year and really made it my goal to jump to the next level,B次元官网网址� Weidemann said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 been stuck at in that fourth, fifth, sixth place for awhile now. I was really driven to make that jump.

B次元官网网址淎fter the Olympic season, a lot of women retire. ThereB次元官网网址檚 a good opportunity to make it on the world stage. People tend to take the year off and I wanted to take the opportunity to put myself out there.B次元官网网址�

She trains at CalgaryB次元官网网址檚 Olympic Oval alongside fellow Ottawan Ivanie Blondin, a two-time Olympian who owns multiple world championship and World Cup medals in the mass start, 3k and 5k.

The two women are physical contrasts as the six-foot-two Weidemann is a full foot taller than Blondin.

B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 one of the best in the world at multiple distances, which is very, very hard to do,B次元官网网址� Weidemann said. B次元官网网址淚 feel fortunate to train alongside her every day.

B次元官网网址淪he has really paved the path, or led me down the road on how to find success. We compete against each other, so thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of competitiveness between us, but thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of respect.B次元官网网址�

Remmelt Eldering of the Netherlands took over as coach of the Canadian womenB次元官网网址檚 long-distance training group this season.

B次元官网网址淚t took a little bit to get used to each other, but I kept my course,B次元官网网址� Eldering said. B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 really change anything and Isabelle eventually got the hang of it. I feel like she felt comfortable in the program and adopted it.

B次元官网网址淭he biggest thing is her self-confidence. It grew.B次元官网网址�

Weidemann says the Dutchman is the eighth coach sheB次元官网网址檚 had in her seven years on the national team. She hopes the coaching carousel will stop at least until the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 looking to stay to the next Olympics so IB次元官网网址檓 looking forward to building a relationship,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really important to have a relationship with your coach. ItB次元官网网址檚 a business deal basically. He writes the program and I do the program and we have to work with each other.B次元官网网址�

The second half of WeidemannB次元官网网址檚 season will include two more World Cups, the world single-distance championships Feb. 6-9 in Inzell, Germany, and the world all-around championships March 1-2 in Calgary.

B次元官网网址淔or me, ultimately the goal is building over these next four years so that I can go into the next Olympics as a legitimate contender and somebody who has a shot at medalling,B次元官网网址� she said.

Weidemann, who will complete her geography degree in 2019, grew up idolizing world champion and Olympic multi-medallist Kristina Groves, who is also from Ottawa.

Weidemann is the oldest of three children all speed skating in Calgary. Brother Jake is a member of the national development team, while sister Lily skates in the OvalB次元官网网址檚 long-track program.

Weidemann is an alumnus of OttawaB次元官网网址檚 Gloucester Concordes club, which also produced Blondin and Olympian Vincent de Haitre.

Concordes coach Mike Rivet said a few weeks prior to the 2018 Winter Games that Weidemann was B次元官网网址渏ust starting to figure out the resources she has in her body and she doesnB次元官网网址檛 know how to use them yet. When she does, wow.B次元官网网址�

It appears wow is now.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press

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