92 Days Until The Winter Olympics: Men’s Speed Skating Team Seeks First Gold Medal Since 2010
The US Men’s Speed Skating team has not brought home an Olympic Gold Medal since 2010. As the holiday season approaches, Team USA is locking in its Olympic roster, determined to reclaim gold.
The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics Men’s Speed Skating competition begins on February 7. Before then, there is work to do.
Jordan Stolz: A Star Rising for Men’s Speed Skating Team
The Men’s Olympic team’s standout is Jordan Stolz, reigning overall World Cup champion and a record-breaking talent. Last season, Stolz secured 18 consecutive World Cup wins and set world records in three distances at a Milwaukee event.
Beyond individual stars, the US Men’s Speedskating team shines in group events. Ethan Cepuran, Casey Dawson, and Emery Lehman earned the country’s fourth-straight World Cup title in team pursuit last season. These 2022 Olympic bronze medalists now enter the Olympic year as reigning world champions, aiming for gold.
Dawson also proved his range in individual events in the U.S. Championships, winning gold in the 5000m and 10000m.
The Path to Milano Cortina
Earning a spot on the Olympic team requires several steps. Athletes can qualify by medaling at the 2025 ISU World Single Distances Championships or earning top-five placements in two of the first four World Cups in a specific distance.
The next step in the process is the World Cup season opener in Salt Lake City, Utah, from November 14-16.
They must also compete in the Olympic Trials, set for January 2-5, 2026, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to secure their spots. The Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee will host these critical trials, where skaters will compete in events such as the 500m, 1000m, 1500m, and more. These trials will determine which athletes will represent Team USA in Milano Cortina.
Building on a Championship Legacy
The US Men’s Speed Skating team represents more than preparation for the Olympics, it is about continuing a legacy of excellence. Although there has been a recent gold medal dry spell, the US has a history of top performers through the years.
Gold Medal history for US Men’s Speed Skating:
- Chamonix 1924: Charles Jewtraw wins the first-ever men’s 500m Olympic Speed Skating event.
- Lake Placid 1932: Jack Shea becomes the first American to win two gold medals at a single Winter Olympics.
- Innsbruck 1976: Peter Mueller wins gold in the 1000m.
- Lake Placid 1980: Eric Heiden completes a historic sweep, winning five gold medals and setting an Olympic record in every event (500m, 1000m, 1500m, 5000m, 10000m). He is the first athlete to win five individual gold medals at a single Olympic Games.
- Lillehammer 1994: Dan Jansen wins gold and sets a world record in the 1000m.
- Torino 2006: The U.S. team has a dominant showing.
- Joey Cheek: Gold in the 500m and silver in the 1000m.
- Shani Davis: Gold in the 1000m and silver in the 1500m.
- Chad Hedrick: Gold in the 5000m, silver in the 10000m, and bronze in the 1500m.
- Vancouver 2010: Shani Davis wins his second consecutive gold medal in the 1000m.
