Canadian Christine Nesbitt earns bronze medal at world speedskating event

SOCHI, Russia – Canada’s Christine Nesbitt claimed a bronze medal at the world speedskating world championships Friday.

Nesbitt, of London, Ont., was third in the women’s 1,500-metre event behind Dutch skaters Ireen Wust and Lotte van Beek. Nesbitt was the defending champion in the event but Wust captured her second gold in as many days after winning the 3,000-metre race Thursday.

Denis Kuzin won Kazakhstan’s first major title by taking the men’s 1,0000-metre competition.

Kuzin finished in one minute 9.14 seconds to edge out Olympic 500-metre champion Mo Tae-bum of South Korea by one-tenth of a second. Olympic 1,000-metre champion Shani Davis of the U.S., was third.

Mo, the Olympic 1,000-metre silver medallist, led at the 600-metre mark followed by Davis, the three-time world champ at the distance. But Kuzin blazed the fastest time of 26.6 seconds for the last 400 metres.

“I wanted to resign before this season,” said Kuzin, who broke his shoulder last summer. “After surgery I was told I have no chance of coming back into sports but I began to work and reached my goal.

“I will come back to Sochi next year, hoping to win again.”

Denny Morrison of Fort St. John, B.C., was the top Canadian in 13th, one spot ahead of Edmonton’s Jamie Gregg. Winnipeg’s Tyler Derraugh finished 18th.

Wust had a time of 1:55.38 at Adler Arena to claim her 12th championship gold. Van Beek was 2.64 seconds behind while Nesbitt had a time of 1:58.07.

Regina’s Kali Christ was fifth in 1:58.69 while Winnipeg’s Brittany Schussler finished eighth.

The men’s 5,000 was schedule for later Friday.