Martina Sáblíková from the Czech Republic, the defending champion, finished second, while Olga Graf won the bronze medal.

The race featured three Olympic Champions at this distance: Sáblíková of 2010, Wüst of 2006, and Claudia Pechstein of 2002.

In the next two pairs, first Sáblíková and then Wüst took the lead, each of them beating a track record, pushing Pechstein out of the medals.

The top 16 of the 2013–14 ISU Speed Skating World Cup – Women's 3000 and 5000 metres standings after the fourth World Cup race in Berlin secured a spot for their country.

At the 2013 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships the track record was set by Ireen Wüst at 4:02.43.