Japan team captain Miho Takagi hit the ice Saturday in the first of her five speed skating events at the Beijing Winter Games, finishing sixth in the women's 3,000 meters won by Irene Schouten of the Netherlands in Olympic record time.
Racing against Italy's Francesca Lollobrigida in the 10th and final pair, the 29-year-old Schouten streaked around the National Speed Skating Oval in 3 minutes, 56.93 seconds to claim gold.
Lollobrigida took silver in 3:58.06, while Canada's Isabelle Weidemann finished 1.71 seconds off the pace for bronze.
Takagi clocked 4:01.77, which kept her on top of the leaderboard for much of the competition at the gleaming new stadium dubbed the "Ice Ribbon."
Skating in the third pair alongside 2018 Olympic 3,000 champion Carlijn Achtereekte of the Netherlands, the 27-year-old Takagi said her first lap was not quick enough to establish a medal-winning pace at the new arena.
She nevertheless managed the fastest provisional time and remained in first place until Czech world record-holder Martina Sablikova, racing in the third-last pair, moved to the front of the pack with a time of 4:00.34, which was eventually good enough for fourth.
"This was my first time skating this rink and there were points where I struggled with my timing," Takagi said. "The first lap wasn't any better than usual (and) that regrettable start did me in."
Japan's other representative, Ayano Sato, finished ninth in 4:03.40.
"More than my overall time and placing, I was happy that I was able to move well," Sato said. "I dropped off on the last lap, but I had solid lap times up until then."
Both Takagi and Sato will contest the women's 1,500 on Monday. Takagi is the world record holder over the distance and will go into the race as favorite.
