Two Minnesota speed skaters qualify for Winter Olympics
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Two more Minnesotans have qualified to represent the U.S. at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy.
Speed skaters Giorgia Birkeland of White Bear Lake and Greta Myers of Lino Lakes earned spots on Team USA with their performance at the Olympic Team Trials that wrapped up Monday in Milwaukee.
Myers qualified in the 1,500 meters — with some drama. She skated fast enough to earn a spot, but was disqualified after making contact with another skater. She was granted a reskate and ended up skating even faster — confirming her Olympic berth.
“I was really relieved that I had the opportunity, and super grateful that they allowed me to do that,” Myers told NBC Sports after the reskate. “I knew I had something to prove and that I could do well if I got the chance. So I’m just super stoked that it worked out.”
It will be the first Olympics for Myers, and the second for Birkeland, who was chosen as a specialist in the Team Pursuit event.
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