Swings seals back-to-back titles

Bart Swings successfully defended his mass start title at the World Speed Skating Single Distance Championships in Calgary.

Swings finished with 63 points to finish 23 ahead of Antoine Gelinas-Beaulieu to seal a second world title following gold in Heerenveen last year.

Livio Wenger took bronze for Switzerland ahead of 2023 bronze medallist Andrea Giovannini.

The women's mass start gold went to Irene Schouten, as the Dutchwoman upgraded from the bronze she won a year ago.

Schouten took the final place on the podium on home ice last year, with compatriot Marijke Groenewoud taking gold but the roles were reversed this time around.

Reigning Olympic champion Schouten finished with 60 points, 18 ahead of Ivanie Blondin in silver, the same medal she won in Heerenveen, with Groenewoud comfortably taking bronze.

Elsewhere there was more success for Jordan Stolz, who added 1000m gold to the 500m title he earned on Friday night.

The American set a track record of 1:06.05 to beat Zhongyan Ning to gold by 0.48 seconds, despite the Chinese skater setting a new personal best.

Kjeld Nuis took bronze ahead of Olympic silver medallist Laurent Dubreuil.

The women's 1000m was won by Miho Takagi, who clinched her first World Single Distance Championship gold medal since 2020.

Takagi finished in 1:12.83, 0.44 seconds ahead of Mei Han, who also set a personal best time.

Mei pipped Jutta Leerdam to silver by just 0.01 seconds, with Leerdam edging compatriot Antoinette Rijpma-De Jong to bronze despite the latter's personal best.