World Speed Skating Championships: Patrick Roest brings house down in Heerenveen with 5000m world title

Patrick Roest brought down the house with a tireless 5000m world title win in Heerenveen - his first individual single distance gold. Set a tough task by Italian Davide Ghiotto, who set off at a lightning pace and came home in 6:11.12, Roest steadily clawed back time with a supremely consistent run. In the end the Dutchman sealed the Netherlands' 100th world championship gold by 2.18 seconds. The other half of Roest's race pair, Belgian Bart Swings, couldn't match the Olympic silver medallist's speed, but snatched bronze with a time of 6:13.06. Norway's Ragne Wiklund upset home favourite Irene Schouten earlier that evening to take gold in the women's 3000m. Dutch speed skating star Schouten, the 3000m and 5000m Olympic champion and record holder, posted a competitive time of 3:57.40 before Wiklund's run.

The 22-year-old Norwegian then produced a technically flawless and controlled skate to pip her rival by 0.54 seconds. Veteran Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic, who scooped double gold at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, claimed bronze with 3:58.35. The World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships runs until Sunday March 5, with the women's and men's team pursuit getting Friday's action underway at 18:05 GMT.