Youngest world champion in history. He's skating lights out now. Could become first three gold medals at worlds if he wins the 1500. Starting at 5:45 AM Central on Peacock. The fastest qualifiers go last.

I see he's from Wisconsin.

"Wisconsin's Gold Mine"
The Pettit National Ice Center

The interior of the Pettit National Ice Center.
Wisconsin has a venerable recreational and competitive speed skating tradition. The first United States Olympic speed skating time trials were held in Oconomowoc in 1928, and the West Allis Speed Skating Club has trained skaters and sponsored local, regional, and national meets in the Milwaukee area since 1935. By 1949 the club had won so many races that West Allis was dubbed the "Skating Capital of Wisconsin."

In the 1960s, Wisconsin set its sights on a training facility for Olympic-style competition, in which skaters race in pairs against the clock rather than in packs against each other. When speed skater Terry McDermott of Detroit won America's only gold medal in the 1964 Winter Olympics, public interest in Olympic speed skating grew. McDermott's victory came just as the State of Wisconsin began plans to develop year-round uses for State Fair Park. Local speed skating groups seized the moment and convinced the State to build the nation's first artificially refrigerated, Olympic-sized speed skating track there.

When the Wisconsin Olympic Ice Rink opened on Dec. 17, 1966, Milwaukee became the national center for Olympic speed skating. The ability to train on an Olympic-sized rink under Olympic conditions began to transform Wisconsin and American skaters into some of the world's best. By the mid-1980s, the success of American speed skaters had earned the Olympic Ice Rink the nickname, "Wisconsin's Gold Mine."

In the late 1980s, local business leaders and Olympic skating organizations endorsed the idea of a Midwestern facility that would offer year-round training opportunities. In 1991, the State agreed to support the idea and constructed an indoor rink on the site of the old outdoor track. The new facility, named for philanthropists Lloyd and Jane Pettit, opened December 31, 1992. Every American long-track speed skater who competed in the 1994, 1998, and 2002 Olympics has at one time in his or her skating career trained and competed at the Pettit National Ice Center.

He did it! Won the gold in the 500, 1000, and the 1500 at world championships! First man to ever win 3 individual golds at world championships!

My cut references that I've done a little short track speed skating.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: pbslinger,

Good for him! If he keeps it up, he'll be a household name in Wisconsin along with Eric Heiden, Dan Jansen, and Bonnie Blair. Bonnie Blair wasn't born in Wisconsin, but she's lived there going on 40 years, so close enough.

Good on Jordan. That’s a fun sport to watch.

And actually born in Wisconsin, as was Eric Heiden. Must be something in the water.

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
Must be something in the water.

You think the water that freezes solid every Winter (when Winter is Sep. through May) might have something to do with it? If you're not skating, you're sitting at home watching it on TV (cars, hockey, and anybody ambulatory). I undestand that you are issued your first pair of skates in the delivery room, and they don't let your parents take you home until you've taken a turn in the parking lot/ice rink.

I lived in Madison in the winter for 5 years until this year, and skated 70-90 days a winter. Madison has I think 13 outdoor rinks they maintain, some with hockey rinks with boards. Unfortunately they close them around February 20 regardless of the weather. I hit them hard during covid shutdown that closed indoor rinks. I'd skate down to O degrees F.

Last year I had a pass at an indoor rink and skated there 63 times from January to April. The pass cost $55, so a dollar and change for each skate session.