Parkite speedskater Casey Dawson has been traveling the globe since November when his season began. He’s skied eight events in seven countries, and now he finally gets to take his skates off for a little break.
Dawson has his most successful season in four as a professional. He set national records in the 5K and 10K events, career-high world rankings and capped it all off with a world championships gold medal in the team pursuit.
Dawson teamed up again with Ethan Cepuran and Emery Lehman to get the team pursuit gold in Hamar, Norway, Friday. It’s the pairing’s third-straight season as the top team in the world. Dawson, Cepuran and Lehman set the world record in the event last season.
“I definitely started off strong,” said Dawson. “Ended off stronger.”
The 24 year old wanted to set the tone this winter for a strong Olympic push next season. Dawson won team pursuit bronze in his first Games in 2022.
There were no early Olympic bids handed out this year in speed skating, with each nation hosting their Olympic trials next season. Dawson and his U.S. peers will gun for their spots in January.
“I’m ready to maintain this fitness,” Dawson said. “Get even stronger for next year, for the Olympics.”
Dawson, Cepuran and Lehman will take a few weeks off before reconvening in April to prepare for next season. Dawson is excited to use the time to take advantage of the last few weeks of the winter season in Park City, get in some winter activities he rarely has time for on the road.
Dawson said he is proud of his entire season but will look back upon the national records fondly.
“They definitely mean almost as much as the world record,” said Dawson. “It just showed that I was strong enough to break records that have stood for a long time.”
Dawson said his biggest improvements before next season will come from the grueling off-season ahead. He said the team pursuit team took the season after the 2022 Games to relax a bit and since then have been ramping back up. This upcoming offseason will be their hardest since the summer of 2021.
Dawson, Cepuran and Lehman spend their offseasons training in Park City and Salt Lake City. They do a lot of off-ice work at the Olympic Park here and on-ice work at the Olympic Oval there.
“We’re always training together,” Dawson said. “We have to adapt to each other’s bodies and do what we need individually.”
Dawson and his teammates will need to qualify for the 2026 Games come January in an individual event to race the team pursuit.
Dawson said the offseason grind allows him to trust in his abilities even when he feels a little off his game.
“Having the same mindset leading into next season (is important),” said Dawson. “Telling yourself that you’re strong enough and that you can do great things. … It’s going to be a hard training cycle going into the Games, but the end goal is to win medals.”