More than 100 speedskaters from across the Maritimes were in Saint John this weekend for the Charles Gorman Championship, named after Gorman, a former world champion speedskater from Saint John in the 1920s.
New Brunswick speedskating officials say they like what they see early in the season. “We have ‘pb’s’ or personal bests all across the board which is great to see,” said Scott Beamish, Speed Skate New Brunswick’s provincial coach and technical director. “That’s always what you want to see starting the season. It means these kids are going through good training programs over the summer and came back with a little bit of fire in them.”
The fastest skater at this event is Tyler Magee of the Hampton Speed Skating Club. He has a definite short term goal.
“I really want to make the 2019 Canada Games team,” Magee said.
Speedskating is a popular draw at the Olympics and a great motivater for young skaters who want to wear that maple leaf.
“When you see them wearing that, you see the training and the levels that they’ve gone through to get to that point, it’s definitely inspiring for younger athletes,” said Magee.
Beamish added, “I think it filters right down even to those young kids seeing themselves in that position in the future. (To) have that dream to be at the Olympics, they kind of get to see what that is going to be like.”
The 2018 Winter Olympics, which will be held in South Korea, begin in early February.
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