Japan wins gold in women's speed skating team competition

Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Japan's women captured the team gold medal at the Pyeongchang Olympics, beating the defending champion Netherlands on Wednesday.

The world record-holding Japanese trio of sisters Miho and Nana Takagi and Ayano Sato defeated the Dutch in the gold medal race, winning in an Olympic-record 2 minutes, 53.89 seconds at Gangneung Oval. The same Dutch trio of Marrit Leenstra, Ireen Wust and Antoinette de Jong had raced to the previous Olympic-record 2:55.61 in qualifying on Monday.

The Dutch finished in 2:55.48 to earn silver.

The gold medal was Japan's third at the Pyeongchang Games after triumphs in men's figure skating by Yuzuru Hanyu and women's 500-meter speed skating by Nao Kodaira.

The United States defeated Canada in the "B" final to secure the bronze medal.