By Chang Ailing

    TURIN, Feb. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Ninteen-year-old Dutchwoman Ireen Wust defeated four-time Olympic champion Claudia Pechstein o fGermany here Sunday in the 3,000 meters speed skating, brining back home a gold medal in her Olympic debut at the Turin Winter Games.

¡¡¡¡Her teammate Renate Groenewold added the Netherlands a silverat a time of 4:03.48, 1.05 seconds behind Wust. Pre-race hot favorite, Canda's Cindy Klassen, the current world record holder,ended up with a bronze medal at a time of 4:04.37.

    "It was absolutely a surprise. It was unbelievable. I have to pinch myself," Wust laughed when commenting on winning the gold at a press conference after the race.

    Wust began skating at age 11. She was pretty unknown prior to today's success. She has no place on the World Cup ranking and her personal best was a 6th place in this season's World Cup women's 1,500m. She finished 28th in 1,500m for the 2004-2005 World Cup. She, who skated in the 10th pair, had a powerful push-off fromthe start and led the race from the first lap.

    She said she was very nervous when waiting for the last four pairs of skaters to race, among whom were all the medal hopes, including Groenewold, Klassen, Pechstein, Clara Hughes of Canada,current runner-up in the World Cup standings.

    "It was terrible. I was so nervous, I didn't know what to do. I was listening to my music, sitting, standing, talking to anyone.It was so unreal," she said.

    Pechstein, Olympic record holder and gold medallist in the SaltLake City, finished fifth in 4:05.54. Enditem