Germany's five-time gold medallist Claudia Pechstein has become the first woman to compete at eight Winter Olympics. Pechstein, 49, turns 50 two days after the Olympics end and is also the oldest woman to compete at a Winter Games. She crossed the line with her arms raised up high and with a big smile at the National Speed Skating Oval in the Chinese capital on Saturday when she competed in the 3000m event. It didn't matter that her time of 4 minutes 17.16 seconds was almost 20 seconds slower than her Olympic record 3:57.70 from 2002. She finished last out of the field of 20, with Dutch speedskater Irene Schouten breaking Pechstein's record when she won in 3:56.93. Italy's Francesca Lollobrigida, pushing Schouten all the way in the final pair, held on for the silver in 3:58.06. The bronze went to Canada's Isabelle Weidemann in 3:58.64. The only other athlete who has competed at eight Games is Japanese men's ski jumper Noriaki Kasai. Pechstein made her Games debut 1992 in Albertville and is Germany's most successful Winter Olympian with five golds, two silver and two bronze medals. She carried the German flag together with bobsledder Francesco Friedrich at Friday's opening ceremony. Pechstein was originally only nominated for the mass start race but also got a 3000m berth from World Cup results. She continues to fight a two-year doping ban in court. - with AP Australian Associated Press