Oval Long Track Athletes

Born and raised in Calgarian, and has Slovak/Italian/Scottish heritage. He began speed skating in 2013 with CSSA and also played hockey for many years. His love of speed skating prevailed, and the 2022/23 season was his first season of speed skating full-time.

His passion is LT 500 to 1,500m, and enjoys racing in short track!

SSA Provincial Team 2023/2024:
- Long track - developmental - Primary
- Short track - developmental

38.88 500m OS March 2023

2022 - Canada Youth Long Track (CYLT): 4th overall MC1
- Gold team pursuit; Silver 300m MS; Bronze 500m OS
2022 - Canada Youth Short Track (CYST) West: 6th overall MC1
- Silver Team Relay 
2020 - Alberta Winter Games - Gold Team Pursuit LT

Former short-track speed skater from PEI. Binns began skating at the age of five and only just started skating long track this past year for the Canada Winter Games. He made the move to Calgary because he enjoyed long track so much.

He is currently studying business at the University of Calgary. Adam loves watching all sports. He has been skating for 14 years, and this is his first year skating in the Olympic Oval program.

2023 Canada winter games:
5th place in the 5,000m
4th in the team pursuit

Current 10k track record holder at the Susan Auch Oval in Winnipeg.

Two-time Jewish Athlete of the Year nominee (Manitoba)

Sverre Pederson

Sebastian has been skating for the Oval program for the last few years. He favours short distances over long distances. 

Allen Iverson

Isabelle has been skating for the last six years, and she prefers longer distances. Her favourites are the 3,000m and 1,500m. She has been skating with the Olympic Oval program for two years. 

Canada Winter Games 2023:
1st in 3000m 
1st in 1500m
3rd in Team Pursuit
3rd in Mass Start

Isabelle Weidemann

Brielle is from Ottawa, Ont. and has been skating for 11 years. This will be her second year in the Olympic Oval program and her second year studying at the University of Calgary. She enjoys baking, cooking, hiking, and spending time with her family and friends. She is looking forward to a new year!

Andre has been speed skating for eight years and is a sprinter. This is his second year in the Olympic Oval program. This fall he will be beginning his first year at University! 

Making the 2023 Canada Winter Games in PEI

Laurent Dubreil

Ryan switched from hockey to long-track speed skating at the start of 2020 with the help of RBC Training Ground. He joined the Olympic Oval program in the fall of 2020 and hopes to one day make it to the Olympic Games.

Canada Cup Bronze medal in 500m

Yankun Zhao

Victoria has been with the Olympic Oval program for the previous four seasons. She continues to excel through the program skating long track with Todd McClements. 

Jutta leerdam

Kieran underwent hip reconstructive surgery, has made an unremarkable recovery, and is now in his second season with the Olympic Oval program. He continues to excel in racing the 500 and 1000-meter distances. 

Canda Winter Games, 2023
4th in 1000m 

Mat Fraser

Joshua has been speed skating for 13 years and competing competitively for eight of those years. He is training as a national training partner this season under Bart and Todd specializing in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. 

Canada Winter Games, 2019
1st Team Pursuit
3rd 5,000m 

World Cup, 2019
5,000m Alternate

Sven Kramer

Carolina began skating when she was four years old and has been skating with the Olympic Oval program for eight years. 

World Championships, 2023
12th overall
Team Sprint World Champion

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

Emil has been a part of the Oval Pathway since 2019 and has been speed skating for more than 10 years. Before coming to Calgary, he trained in Ontario with the Gloucester Concordes. Right now, Emil trains in Stage 3 with coach Todd McClements, focusing on middle- and long-distance events. Outside of skating, I am in my final year of a BSc. degree in Mathematics at UCalgary.

Carey Price

Chris grew up playing hockey until he was 18, when he transitioned into officiating hockey. Later Chris worked his way up to becoming a linesman in the OHL and the honour of being selected to officiate the World U17 hockey challenge. He didn’t put on speed skates until the age of 25 and very quickly fell in love with the sport. He joined the Oval Program in 2021 and hopes to work his way up to earn a spot on Team Canada.

Molly began speed skating at age 13. This season will be her fifth skating with the Olympic Oval program. Her favourite distances is the 500m and 1,000m. 

Zach has been with the Oval Pathway for eight years. He prefers the sprint distances, with the 1000m as his go-to race. Zach is a proud Franco-Albertan, with French being his first language. Recently completed a Bachelor of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary.

Ichiro Suzuki

Emma transitioned from ringette to speed skating three years ago. She was introduced to the sport through the RBC Training ground program. 

Melissa Bishop

Jenna started speed skating when she was 12 years. She then became a strong competitor in the short-track community until she suffered an ACL tear. After a year of rehab, Jenna made a comeback in short track and began her debut in long track, where she specializes in sprints. Jenna studies Business at the University of Calgary and enjoys art and piano in her free time.

Sport PEI, 2023
Inspiration Award Winner

Matthew is a coffee connoisseur, disc golf enthusiast and loves long walks on the beach. He specializes in speed skating, testing the speed limits of the 500m and 5,000m distances. 

3x Canada Games medalist

Sven Kramer

Bon began speed skating at seven years old in Saskatoon. He has always enjoyed athletics and competed in many sports, primarily long-distance and endurance sports. Having been to the Canada Winters Games in 2019 and 2023, he has represented and won two silver medals for Saskatchewan in the 5,000m and Team Pursuit, both at the 2023 games. Away from sports, he is pursuing a BA in political science. He also enjoys music and played tenor saxophone in his high school concerts and marching band.

Canada Winter Games, 2023
2nd 5,000m
2nd Team Pursuit

Daniel Ricciardo

Maya has been skating for 13 years and will be beginning her degree this upcoming fall majoring in Sociology. 

Junior World Team, 2022

Canada Winter Games, 2023
3x medalist

Claire grew up skating in Ottawa and moved to Calgary in 2019 to pursue speed skating and university. She is now headed into her fifth year in the Biochemistry program at the University of Calgary. During the summer, she assists with cancer research at the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Off the ice, she loves hiking and biking in the Rockies.

Canada Cup 1, 2022
3rd 3,000m 

National Rankings (2022/2023)
2nd Mass Start

Rachel is in her second season with the Olympic Oval program as well as her second year of neuroscience at the University of Calgary. She is looking forward to what this season has to come! 

Daniel has been skating for 11 skatings. He races nearly all the distances! 

Canada Winter Games, 2023
2nd Team Pursuit

Kieran Hanson

Caitlin switched from short-track speed skating and is now on her fourth season skating long-track. She studies at the University of Calgary and is also a speed skating coach. 

Canada Winter Games, 2019 
Silver Medalist 

Robyn is in her second season with the Olympic Oval Pathway program. She is super excited to see where this competition season will take her!

Daria has been skating for 13 years and is in her second year with the Olympic Oval Pathway program. As well she is on her second year at the University of Calgary for Exercise and Health Physiology. Outside of skating, she enjoys running, hiking and reading. Daria is excited to see what this new season has in store!

Ying-Chu is a Chinese Taipei speed skater and inline skater. He has joined the Olympic Oval Pathway program for this season and is striving to make the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.