American speed skater Casey Dawson is preparing to compete in four events at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, seeking to improve on his experience from Beijing 2022.
According to Olympics.com, Dawson, now 25 years old, described his first Olympic appearance in Beijing as disrupted by COVID-19 related challenges. He missed the 5000m event and arrived in China only 12 hours before the 1500m race, calling the experience in 2022 more of a trial run given the circumstances.
Despite the setbacks, Dawson earned a bronze medal in the team pursuit in Beijing. For Milano Cortina 2026, he qualified for and plans to compete in all his events: the 1500m, 5000m, 10,000m, and team pursuit. Coming off a successful season that included his first individual ISU World Cup victory and a team pursuit gold at the World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships, Dawson is optimistic about his chances.
The Utah native states he is in the best physical condition of his career and is focused on giving his best effort while enjoying the competition. He also expressed pride in representing his home state and country, emphasizing the honor of wearing the USA flag in competition. The men’s long-track speed skating events at the Games begin on February 8 with the 5000m race.
