Americans Win Bronze in Men's Speed Skating Team Pursuit

Team USA.Photo: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

Four American speed skaters just became 2022 bronze medallists.

Team USA finished third in the men’s team pursuit speed skating event on Tuesday after defeating the Netherlands in the B final. The American team was made up of Ethan Cepuran, Casey Dawson, Emery Lehman and Joey Mantia.

“I feel like the weight’s been lifted in a sense,” Mantiatold theNew York Times. “I’m an Olympic medalist.”

The men’s team pursuit speed skating final.Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

According to theNew York Times, around 45 tests later, he finally got four negatives in a row, allowing him to begin his journey to Beijing, despite already missing the men’s 5,000m race.

He flew from Salt Lake City to Atlanta, Georgia. From there, he was on a flight to Paris, France, and eventually, on to Beijing, where he arrived just before 7 a.m. in the morning local time — a mere 12 hours before the men’s 1,500m race, theTimessaid.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t all smooth sailing from there, as his luggage was lost. Luckily, he had packed his skating boots and uniform in a carry-on bag, but the blades for his skates were checked. Latvian skater Haralds Silovs, who uses the same type of blades as Dawson, had an extra pair that he lent to Dawson for his first event. Dawson’s suitcase was eventually located.

To learn more about Team USA, visitTeamUSA.org. Watch the Winter Olympics, now, and the Paralympics, beginning March 4, on NBC.

source: people.com