U.S. Speed Skating Olympic Trials Preview: How to watch Team USA’s top long track stars

Coming off a stellar string of World Cup results to close out 2021, the United States appears set for one of its best speed skating Olympic showings in decades at the 2022 Winter Games.

But first, those long track stars must officially lock in their spots on Team USA at the 2022 U.S. Speed Skating Olympic Trials, taking place Wednesday through Sunday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A maximum of 12 Olympic spots are up for grabs during the five-day competition.  

Live coverage of each day’s action can be seen on USA Network and streamed on NBCOlympics.com. See below for a full breakdown of broadcast/streaming info.

THE MEDAL FAVORITES

Leave it to balmy Ocala, Florida to produce a trio of Winter Olympic medal contenders. Erin Jackson, Brittany Bowe and Joey Mantia were all born in the Central Florida town and grew up training as inline skaters under renowned coach Renee Hildebrand. And that’s not all they have in common.

All three are currently ranked No. 1 in the world in a speed skating Olympic discipline. Jackson, targeting a second Olympic appearance at 29, won half of all World Cup 500m races in the fall 2021 season.

Bowe, 33, logged two wins out of four in the 1000m and one out of four in the 1500m and is a medal threat in both disciplines. The 2018 team pursuit bronze medalist is racing toward a third Olympic team at Trials with her focus squarely on the individual events (The United States did not qualify a women’s team pursuit squad for 2022).

Mantia, 35, is also chasing a third Olympics. He is ranked first in the world in the men’s 1500m discipline and is also a three-time world champion in the mass start event. Mantia also helped the U.S. men’s team pursuit squad set a world record in a World Cup race in Salt Lake City in December. The U.S. will be among the favorites in that event in 2022.

SEE MORE: Joey Mantia claims 1500m title at second straight World Cup

THE DARK HORSES

As if to complement the Ocala trio’s veteran experience, 17-year-old Jordan Stolz could prove that USA Speed Skating’s future is closer than anticipated. The junior world record holder enters with plenty of momentum, having captured his first World Cup podium with a silver in the 1000m in Calgary a little over three weeks ago. Stolz, a native of Kewaskum, Wisconsin, will also have a home-ice advantage. He trains with his club team at the Pettit National Ice Center, the host site of U.S. Trials.

Jordan Stolz competes at the 2020 Youth Olympic Winter Games in Lausanne, Switzerland.

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Kimi Goetz, who was a top contender for the U.S. in short track speed skating four years ago before suffering a concussion on the first day of 2018 Short Track Trials, has since transitioned to long track and has had plenty of success on the ribbon. The 27-year-old New Jersey native has five top-10 finishes this season.

Other team hopefuls include mass start specialists Ian Quinn and Mia Manganello Kilburg, a bronze medalist alongside Bowe in the team pursuit in PyeongChang. Emery Lehman and Casey Dawson, Mantia’s team pursuit squadmates during the record-setting race in Utah, are also among those worth keeping an eye on.

BROADCAST SCHEDULE

All sessions will be televised live on USA Network and streamed live on NBCOlympics.com

Select coverage and highlights can also be streamed on Peacock.