Canada's Christine Nesbitt romps to 1000m Olympic gold

From Sportsbeat staff, in Vancouver

 CHRISTINE Nesbitt has captured Canada's first ever Olympic 1000m speed skating title with a blistering run at the RIchmond Olympic Oval.

HOME GOLD: Canada's Christine Nesbitt (centre) wins her country's first ever Olympic speed
skating title in the 1000m ahead of Annette Gerritsen (left) in silver and Laurine van Riessen
(right) who claimed bronze (Getty Images)

The 24-year-old Australian-born skater romped home in 1:15.56 minutes, confirming her status as the world's number one, having arrived in Vancouver undefeated on the World Cup circuit.

And she edged out Annette Gerritsen of the Netherlands, who briefly held the lead, before watching compatriot Kristina Groves and another Dutch skater Margot Boer fail to match her in the final pairing, ensuring the gold was hers.

"I felt I wasn't skating very well, it just wasn't coming easy to me. The first 600 m wasn't good. It has happened to me before, but in the last leg I kept fighting and I knew it would pay off," said Nesbitt.

"I can't believe it's the Olympics, it doesn't feel real. I can't believe it, it was too close for comfort.

"The crowd were great, I was not nervous at all. They were cheering me on and it made a big difference."

Gerritsen held on to take silver while compatriot Laurine van Riessen won bronze.

She trailed Gerritsen going into the final lap, but a storming 400m saw her finish 0.02 seconds ahead of the silver medallist.

The Canadian had been more than half a second off the pace with one lap to go, but turned on the speed to complete the final 400m in 30.09 seconds.

Nesbitt took the 1000m title in all four World Cup competitions this season and the 24-year-old is also the defending world champion, a title she won at the Richmond Oval in March.

The Canadian had raced in the 500m on Tuesday, producing one of her best ever times in that distance, finishing in 10th place.

She is also among the medal contenders in the 1500m on Sunday and is part of the world-record holding Canadian pursuit team that is favourite to win gold next week.

 AS IT HAPPENS: Day seven of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver