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 Speed Skating Canada
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Date of Birth: 12/08/79 |
Place of Birth: Toronto, ON |
Residence: Calgary, AB |
Years on National Team: 2 |
Cindy Klassen was the revelation of the 2000-2001 long track speed skating season and has established herself as a
serious medal threat for the 2002 Olympics. She put Canada back on the map in the women's long distance events and shared Speed
Skating Canada's female skater of the year award with
Catriona Le May Doan.
Last season, Klassen earned three bronze and placed fourth overall at the world all around championships- a first
Canadian podium for a woman at the event since 1989. She added the Canadian record in the 1,500 and 3,000 metres.
The previous mark at 3,000 was 4:11.64. Klassen bettered it three times and now holds it at 4:02.41. Her standard in the
1,500 is 1:55.08.
She even holds the world record for total points in the all around event set last March at the Olympic Oval final in Calgary.
"I've never expected this success," she said. "The first time I put on skates I could barely stand up. I thought there was no
future for me in the sport."
Klassen is also an outstanding all around athlete. She was a member of Canada's national junior women's hockey team
and has been invited to national senior team camps as well. She is a top-ranked in-line skater and placed fifth in
combined sprints and sixth in 21 kilomtre half-marathon event at the 1999 Pan Am Games in her hometown of Winnipeg.
What Cindy Klassen Did
Feb. 23 - Women's 5,000 metres: Cindy Klassen, Winnipeg, placed fourth in a field of 16
Feb. 20 - Women's 1,500 metres: Cindy Klassen, Winnipeg, finished fourth in a final field of 39
Feb. 17 - Women's 1,000 metres: Cindy Klassen, Winnipeg, was 13th
Feb. 10: Cindy Klassen, Winnipeg, won bronze medal, Canada's first of 2002
Cindy Klassen Pictures
Klassen races during the women's 1,500m
Cindy Klassen skates her way to bronze
More Cindy Klassen Stories
Klassen will wait for Salt Lake
Klassen class act on blades
Klassen driving for 5
Speed skating has new reasons for Klassen
Klassen earns second Games race
Silver medal caps Klassen's long road trip
2002 Games Long Track Speed Skating Coverage
