Gold for grad of PCHS in speed skating world cup

KEARNS, Utah — Over this past weekend, Casey Dawson, a 2019 Park City High School grad, competed in the long-track speedskating World Cup held in the Salt Lake Valley at the Utah Olympic Oval, the sister facility to the Utah Olympic Park.

 

Along with teammates Joey Mantia and Emery Lehman, he took gold in the men’s team pursuit and set a new world record along the way. Dawson also took bronze in the men’s 5,000 meters B group and silver in the 1500 B group. 

 

Dawson has the 10th fastest time in the world this year in the 5,000 meters and 15th fastest time in the world this year in the 1500 meters.  He also has the 8th fastest time in the 10,000 this year.  The 10,000 is an Olympic event but wasn’t contested this past weekend. He also set the US record in the 3,000 meters earlier this year.

 

The Utah Olympic Oval, built for and utilized in the Salt Lake 2002 Olympics, is world-renown for its fast ice times due to the comparatively high elevation of the venue, which has a positive impact on the consistency of the ice.

 

Dawson learned to skate at the Park City Ice Arena through the Youth Sports Alliance (YSA) Get out and Play program and continued with the Park City Speed Skating Club. 

 

The nonprofit YSA focuses on providing pipelines from afterschool programs to sports clubs and Olympic teams and the need-based funding they offer athletes. With Dawson’s inspiration leading the way, YSA is in the process of teaming up with the Park City Ice Arena to revitalize the Park City Skating Club.

 

Dawson has the final World Cup this weekend in Calgary, Canada, and will return home to Park City on Monday.