Dutch skaters clean sweep women's 3,000 speed skating at PyeongChang Games

PYEONGCHANG, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Carlijn Achtereekte clocked a winning time of three minutes and 59.21 seconds here Saturday evening to lead a clean sweep of medals in the women's 3,000m race of the PyeongChang Winter Games.

Achtereekte became the sixth Dutch speed skater to claim an Olympic gold medal in this event. Defending Olympic champion Ireen Wust came in second at 3:59.29 and Antoinette de Jong took home the bronze with 4:00.02.

"A gold medal, it's an incredible feeling," the 28-year-old Achtereekte said after "skating the best race of her life" to land her first Olympic medal. "I cannot believe it right now. It was so good a race. I feel so good and I thought I have to skate the best race of my life and I did it and I won, that's incredible."

Wust regretted missing the chance to become the first Dutch athlete to win a fifth Olympic gold medal at the Olympic Winter Games or Summer Games.

"I'm feeling OK, a little disappointed," she said. "I was on schedule for the gold but the last lap was too hard and I didn't make it."

"I have to be happy and I will be happy with silver, but I came for gold so it's a little disappointing," she added. "Carlijn had a really strong race today and she was the best today so she is the champion now and I have to be happy with silver." Enditem