(L-R) Nana Takagi (Japan), Ivanie Blondin (Canada) and Mia Kilburg-Manganello pose during the medal ceremony of the women's nass start at the ISU Speedskating World Cup on Dec. 13, 2019 in Nagano, Japan.
It was a big day for U.S. speedskaters as both Joey Mantia and Mia (Manganello) Kilburg earned medals in mass start at the fourth world cup and third mass start event of the year Friday in Nagano, Japan.
Kilburg earned the first individual world cup medal of her career with a third-place finish. She moved up from sixth to third on the final lap of the race to finish in 8:27.350, behind only Ivanie Blondin of Canada, who won in 8:26.440, and Japan’s Nana Takagi with a time of 8:26.570. Kilburg, who won bronze in women’s team pursuit at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, is now in fifth place in the overall world cup standings in mass start.
In the men’s race, two-time Olympian Mantia followed up a golden performance earlier in the season with a silver medal on Friday. The two-time world champion in the event was in ninth place after 13 laps but moved up to sixth and then third before finally finishing with a time of 7:54.670 behind only Canada’s Jordan Belchos, who led the final four laps and finished in 7:53.990.
Mantia, who shared Team USA Awards Male Athlete of the Month honors with figure skater Nathan Chen for his win in November, sits atop the world cup rankings in men’s mass start. He won his second ISU World Single Distance Championships gold medal in the mass start last season in Inzell, Germany.
Karen Price is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has covered Olympic & Paralympic sports for various publications. She is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
