UWM alumnus Mitch Whitmore finished 10th in the 1,000-meter long-track speedskating event Friday at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
That was a better showing than in his specialty, the 500-meter race, where he finished 15th earlier in the week.
“Well, first and foremost, representing each person’s country, I think, is awesome,” Whitmore told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “It takes a lot just to get here, no matter what country you’re from. I think during the 500 I lost sight of that a little bit because I was just so focused on trying to win. Today, I made sure to just enjoy it and be respectful of being here.”
Whitmore’s Team USA teammates also placed in the top 10: Joey Mantia finished fourth; Shani Davis, who won gold in the event in 2006 and 2010, finished seventh.
Whitmore, a graduate of Waukesha North High School, attended UWM on and off from 2007 through 2012 while also training at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee.
