Contenders For Olympic US Speedskating Teams Compete In Milwaukee

The U.S. Olympic long-track speedskating trials get underway Tuesday at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee.

Organizers are hoping the United States will have better results at next month’s Winter Games than U.S. long-track speedskaters did four years ago when the they failed to win a medal at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

But this week at the Pettit National Ice Center, athletes will be increasing their efforts to get back on the podium. They’ll be competing in Milwaukee to be on the U.S. men’s and women’s teams in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Pettit Executive Director Randy Dean said he thinks Olympic medals are achievable.

“There are so many top skaters around the world. But we think our skaters are right in the mix, and that we can be competitive even at the high level,” Dean said of the U.S. skaters.

Dean said it’s likely that skaters who make the U.S. teams will continue to train in Milwaukee over the next month. He said he also hopes having the Olympic trials at Pettit for the first time in 20 years will get more local young people interested in speedskating.

“I think we’d love to grow the sport more. It does require a lot of individual effort and commitment, and sometimes you’re not doing it maybe with your friends from school. But they build friendships with their teammates, and we think it has a nice niche,” Dean said.

He said some people have taken up short-track speedskating instead. About 3,500 athletes in the U.S. speedskate, Dean said, far short of the number of skaters in The Netherlands. Dutch skaters won 23 long-track medals in Sochi.

The long-track Olympic Trials run through Sunday. For a schedule of the long-track speedskating trials, visit the Pettit’s website.

The Olympic Games are Feb. 9-25.