KEARNS — Lauren Cholewinski and Mitchell Whitmore won spots on the American Olympic team in the 500 meters Saturday at the U.S. Speedskating Championships.
Whitmore led the 500 after the first heat and won with a combined time of 70.6 seconds. He joins Tucker Fredricks, Shani Davis and Nick Pearson, who had already qualified in the 500 for the U.S. team headed to the Vancouver Games.
Cholewinski won the women's title with a combined time of 72.21 seconds. She trailed Heather Richardson and two-time Olympian Jennifer Rodriguez after the first heat, but they had already qualified for Vancouver and did not skate in the second at the Utah Olympic Oval.
The U.S. women's 500 meter skaters will be Richardson, Rodriguez, Elli Ochowicz and Cholewinski.