MILWAUKEE (AP) — Casey Dawson secured a spot in the men’s 5,000 meters in long track speedskating for the Milan Cortina Winter Games by winning that event at the U.S. Olympic trials with a time of 6 minutes, 12.857 seconds on Friday night. Ethan Cepuran finished next in 6:19.335, about 6½ seconds behind Dawson.

The last American man to medal in the 5,000 meters at the Olympics was Chad Hedrick at the 2006 Turin Games.

Dawson, a 25-year-old from Park City, Utah, had already secured the lone U.S. spot for Milan in the men’s 10,000 meters, a distance not contested at these trials. He will also be part of the trio competing in the men’s team pursuit at the Olympics. Dawson, Cepuran, and Emery Lehman claimed the bronze medal in that event at the Beijing Games four years ago. They set the world record in 2024 and won gold in the team pursuit at the World Championships in March.

In the other race Friday, the women’s 3,000 meters, Greta Myers won with a time of 4:06.799. Currently, the United States does not have a berth in Milan for that distance, but one of its athletes could join the field if another country relinquishes an opening.

The U.S. Olympic roster for long track speed skating will not become official until the four-day trials at the Pettit National Ice Center conclude on Monday. One factor to consider is that the U.S. is allowed to bring a maximum of eight men and six women to the Winter Games.

The biggest star of the team and the sport is set to make his trials debut Saturday in the men’s 1,000 meters: Jordan Stolz. The 21-year-old from Kewaskum, Wisconsin — a town about 40 miles north of Milwaukee — isn’t just competing at home this week; he’s racing at the same rink where he first began skating lessons as a child.

Stolz made his Olympic debut at age 17 in Beijing four years ago, finishing 13th in the 500 meters and 14th in the 1,000 meters. At both the 2023 and 2024 World Championships, he earned titles in the 500, 1,000, and 1,500 meters.

He is already pre-qualified for the Olympics based on performances at those three distances. All he really needs to do to lock down his berths on the squad for the February 6-22 Milan Cortina Games is show up at the starting line this week. The 500 and 1,500 meters are scheduled for Sunday, with the mass start on Monday.

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AP Winter Olympics
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