Ireen Wüst took the gold medal in the women’s 3,000 metre speed skating event at the Sochi Winter Olympics on Sunday, reclaiming the title she first won in Turin in 2006.

Wüst completed the distance in 4.00.34 to take the title, beating her main rival Martina Sablikova into second place. The bronze went to Russian skater Olga Graf.

Wüst is also current Olympic 1,500 champion and and will defend her title over that distance on Sunday, February 16.

Wüst told Nos television after the race she had felt the pressure of being favourite. ‘What a race, what tension,’ she said. ‘I slept well but this afternoon… I ended up reading a book and trying not to think about the race.’