Japan team captain Miho Takagi took silver in the women's 1,500 meters speed skating Monday at the Beijing Winter Games, finishing behind back-to-back champion and new Olympic record holder Ireen Wust of the Netherlands.
Skating in the third-last pair, Wust laid down a marker for race favorite Takagi by crossing in 1 minute, 53.28 seconds, shaving 0.23 seconds off the old Olympic mark set by her countrywoman Jorien ter Mors in 2014.
Pyeongchang 1,500 silver medalist and world record holder Takagi set out strongly in the final pairing at the National Speed Skating Oval but could not keep pace with Wust, stumbling slightly in the final straight to finish in 1:53.72.
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Dutchwoman Antoinette de Jong claimed bronze in 1:54.82, while Japan's Ayano Sato finished 1.64 seconds off gold medal pace in fourth. Nana Takagi, older sister of Miho, was eighth in 1:55.34.
The 35-year-old Wust, who also claimed 1,500 gold at the 2010 Vancouver Games, became just the third woman in Olympic speed skating history to win the same event three times.
Now with six Olympic gold medals -- having also won the 3,000 twice and the team pursuit once since her 2006 debut -- the all-time great said she was still coming to terms with her milestone victory.
"It's really hard to describe. (I'm feeling) a lot of emotions, especially the good ones," said Wust, who faced away from the track as the last pair set out.
"I was too nervous to watch because I know Miho is a really great skater, especially in the 1,500."
Runner-up Takagi, who has owned the 1,500 over the past World Cup season, said the sting of an Olympic defeat in her strongest event was more painful the second time around.
"Last Olympics in the 1,500, I felt the disappointment of missing out on gold mixed with the joy of winning a medal. This time the disappointment at missing the gold medal is stronger," Takagi said.
Although she coughed noticeably during her post-race media interview, the Japan team captain said she was in strong condition and credited Wust with simply being the better athlete on the day.
"I wasn't up to her level," Takagi said.
Wust, who said she will retire after the games to focus on starting a family, showered praise on her friend and rival from Japan, forecasting a 1,500 gold in her future.
"It's always an inspiration to skate against Miho. I think she's a great skater with great technique," Wust said. "She can win the world sprint and the world all-around, and in four years she's going to win the 1,500."
Takagi was aiming to become Japan's second gold medalist of the Beijing Games, following ski jumper Ryoyu Kobayashi's victory in the men's normal hill on Sunday.
She finished sixth in the first of her five Beijing Olympic events, the women's 3,000, on Saturday.
