Nao Kodaira of Japan places first in the Women"s 1000m during the ISU World Cup Speed Skating competition at The Olympic Oval on Dec. 11, 2021 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (International Skating Union/Getty/Kyodo)

       CALGARY, Canada (Kyodo) -- Japan's Nao Kodaira won the women's 1,000 meters at the speed skating World Cup in Calgary on Saturday, clocking 1 minute, 12.51 seconds to finish 0.03 second ahead of American Brittany Bowe.

       Russia's Olga Fatkulina rounded out the podium at Calgary Olympic Oval in 1:13.15, while Pyeongchang Olympic bronze medalist Miho Takagi sat out the race.

       Kodaira has now won six World Cup 1,000 titles. Combined with her 500-meter victories, she has 34 World Cup wins in total, tying with 1998 Nagano Olympic gold medalist Hiroyasu Shimizu for the most by a Japanese skater.

       "I was able to move well on the ice. So far this season, it's felt like I've had a checklist of items in my head while skating. Today, I had prepared to just listen for the starter's pistol," Kodaira said.

       The reigning Olympic 500 champion finished second in her pet event earlier in the day, logging 36.76 seconds to trail Russian Angelina Golikova by 0.09 second.

       Kodaira also came second in the 500 on Friday, when she logged 36.81 seconds, her first sub-37 time over the distance in two seasons.

       The Japanese trio of Miho Takagi, Nana Takagi and Ayano Sato took second in the women's team pursuit in 2:52:89. The Canadian team finished 0.82 second in front to make it three wins from three this season.

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