Dutch speed skater Ireen Wüst has won the women’s 1,500 metres race at the world cup races in the Norwegian town of Hamar on Saturday.

The reigning Olympic champion beat her Canadian rival Christine Nesbitt with a minimal difference of just four hundredth of a second: one minute 1:56.99 vs. 1:57.03. Marrit Leenstra, also from the Netherlands, came third in 1:57.59

Nesbitt was in the lead for the first 1,490 metres of the race but was eventually overtaken by Wüst who complete the final round in 31.0 compared to 32.9 for her Canadian opponent.

Of the other Dutch skaters, Diane Valkenburg came fifth in 1:58,74. Margot Boer came eighth: 1:59,76. Earlier on Saturday, Paulien van Deutekom saw action in Division B. She came second in 2:01,73.

(gsh)

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