When he landed on the podium in the 5,000 metres at the International Skating Union World Single Distance Championships on Thursday afternoon, it was apparent Moose Jaw's Graeme Fish was off to a good start at the meet.
Neither he, nor anyone else, could have had any idea just how good.
Fish, 23, set a world record in the 10,000 metres on Friday in Salt Lake City, knocking more than two seconds off the old mark set by teammate Ted-Jan Bloemen on his way to winning his first world championship gold. He crossed the line in 12:33.96 seconds, breaking the mark of 12:36.30 held by Bloemen, who would finish second in a time of 12:45.10, giving Fish an amazing 11.14 second victory.
Fish’s race was utterly astonishing, as one would expect from a world-record setting showng. Consistency was once again a hallmark of his performance, skating the first 10 of 25 laps in times ranging from 30.0 to 30.3 seconds. By lap nine, he’d slid into second place and as of lap 15 and a 29.9-second circuit of the 400-m track, Fish had taken over first place.
The former Moose Jaw Kinsmen Speed Skating Club competitor would hold his lap times in the 29.5 to 30.0 range the rest of the way – most hovering closer to the former – and would steadily increase his lead through to the finish.
Germany’s Patrick Beckert won bronze in 12:47.934.
