Canada's Ivanie Blondin snags speed skating gold at World Cup event in Kazakhstan

Canada's Ivanie Blondin added to her medal haul with gold in the women's 5,000 metres at a speed skating World Cup event in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan on Friday.

Blondin set a new track record with a mark of six minutes, 54.945 seconds to edge Martina Sáblíková (6:54.995) of the Czech Republic.

The 29-year-old native of Ottawa now boasts a career seven gold, 12 silver and 10 bronze on the World Cup circuit.

Fellow Canadian Isabelle Weidemann (6:55.809) joined Blondin on the podium after capturing bronze.

WATCH | Canada's Ivanie Blondin grab gold in the women's 5,000 metres World Cup race:

In the men's 500 Canada's Alex Boisvert-Lacroix capped off the nation's three-medal opening day at the ISU World Cup event, with a close finish for bronze.

Boisvert-Lacroix's time of 34.730 seconds helped avoid a Russian sweep.

Viktor Mushtakov (34.636) grabbed gold, while countryman Ruslan Murashov (34.641) came second.

WATCH | Alex Boisvert-Lacroix race to World Cup 500-metre bronze in Kazakhstan:

Live action continues on Saturday at 7 a.m. ET. live on CBC Sports.