TURIN, Italy - Canada may just have found its face for the Vancouver Games in 2010.

On a day when the Canadian hockey team went down even before the semifinal round, Cindy Klassen won her fourth medal of the Winter Games and her fifth overall to become one of the nation’s greatest Olympians ever.

After a bronze and two silvers, Klassen rode an overpowering 1,500 meters Wednesday for victory ahead of teammate Kristina Groves to set up a Maple Leaf one-two.

“The Canadians have really stepped it up these Olympics. It looks very promising for Vancouver,” said Klassen, 26.

And to think all she wanted to be was a hockey player — until she was cut from the team seeking to make it to the 1998 Nagano Games.

“Growing up I had always dreamed of going for the gold in women’s hockey in ’98. I was devastated when I got cut,” she said.

Instead, she slipped into what she called one of those “ridiculous” skinsuits, designed to make speedskaters even more aerodynamic, and has never looked back since.

Slide show   Pictures of the Day Check out Sunday's best Olympic images.

In a head-to-head with Germany’s Anni Friesinger, Klassen started slower but kicked away from the German.

“I was excited to race her because she is such a strong skater. It really motivated me to do well,” Klassen said.

For Friesinger, it was another stinging disappointment and she said it might have been her last race in Turin, despite Saturday’s 5,000.

Ireen Wust of the Netherlands, skating in the final pair, never got close to her second gold and clocked 1:56.90. After gold in the 3,000, it left her with bronze on Wednesday.

When she saw Wust’s time, Klassen hugged her coach and took the Canadian flag on a lap around the ring before joining up with Groves, with the Maple Leaf flag fluttering in between them.

Klassen also has won bronze in the 3,000, and silver in both the 1,000 and team pursuit in Turin.

Slide show   Emotional Moments Feb. 26: See photos of athletes' highs and lows from Sunday.

The four medals for Klassen is a record for a Canadian at a single Winter Olympics and she still has a shot at Saturday’s 5,000.

Groves won her first major individual medal after claiming silver last week in the team pursuit. She immediately knew her time was outstanding, throwing her hands up in celebration even though six skaters had yet to race.

“I knew in my heart it was possible,” she said. “It is even more special because of Cindy and me.”

“It is great going to 2010 to give people motivation,” she said.