Groves wins silver

Feb. 22, 2010

Alumna on the podium again

Kristina Groves / Photo: Ewan Nicholson

University of Calgary alumna Kristina Groves, BSc'04, is currently Canada’s only multiple medallist at the Winter Olympics after earning a silver in the women’s 1,500 metres long-track speed skating race at the Richmond Oval on Sunday.

Along with her silver medal, Groves also won a bronze in the women’s 3,000 metres on Feb. 14th and placed fourth in the 1,000 metres that was won by fellow Canadian Christine Nesbitt. Groves is still expected to compete for two more medals in the Vancouver Games, with the 5,000 metres on Wednesday, Feb 24th and the women’s team pursuit starting on Friday, Feb. 26th.

Groves, who’s originally from Ottawa but lives in Calgary, said after the race that she was feeling good—but not great. “We’re always looking for the perfect race,” she told the Calgary Herald. “I didn’t have it today. But that was an incredibly hard race. You go all out. You can taste blood in your lungs sometimes.”

The 1,500-metres is considered by many long-track speed skaters to be the toughest race, since it is a middle-distance event that is skated like a sprint.

The two medals that Groves has already won in Vancouver equals her haul four years ago when she won two silver medals at the Turin Winter Games. Groves and veteran Clara Hughes are both expected to race in the 5,000 metres this Wednesday, which will be the final individual race for women.

But Groves will also have a chance to win gold to go along with her bronze and silver medals in the team pursuit, scheduled for this coming weekend. The team of Groves, Nesbitt and University of Calgary student Brittany Schussler set a world record in the event last December at the U of C’s Olympic Oval.

To read about Groves’ take on the Olympics, go to: ucalgary.ca/news/uofcpublications/umagazine/fall2009/universal