D.C. speedskater Conor McDermott-Mostowy heads to his first Winter Olympics, hoping to skate his best, enjoy Italy and inspire LGBTQ+ athletes.
When Conor McDermott-Mostowy was growing up in D.C., he learned to skate at the age of 2, but didn’t begin speedskating until 10. He was 17 years old when he began his journey to becoming one of the best long track speedskaters in the world.
Now, at 27, he’s looking forward to competing in the Milan Cortina Winter Games, beginning with Friday’s opening ceremony.
“I was so nervous at Olympic trials, but I feel like the stress is kind of off my shoulders now, and now I can just have fun,” McDermott-Mostowy told WTOP from the U.S. Olympic training facility in Utah. “I’m someone who’s more nervous for the domestic qualification competitions than I am for international competitions, for some reason.”
McDermott-Mostowy won his first national championship in 2021 in the 1,000-meter race.
“A medal would be amazing, but I’m also just really excited to be there and hopefully can do my best,” he said. “I’m not putting too much weight on my shoulders.”
After his 2021 win, McDermott-Mostowy spoke openly about being a gay athlete.
“Especially now, I feel it’s a little bit of an obligation to be open and be vocal about it,” he said. “To hopefully inspire other people, other queer kids, to be more open to getting into sports and showing that you can be, one, safe in sports, and also successful.”
Off the ice, McDermott-Mostowy graduated from Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with a neuroscience major. He said he plans to attend medical school after he retires from speedskating.
The upcoming Games will be his first Winter Olympics.
“Being able to compete on that stage with so many eyes on you is something that only occurs in most Olympic sports every four years,” McDermott-Mostowy said. “I’m also excited to kick back and have some fun after racing is over, and maybe enjoy some wine and food in Italy.”
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