Team Pursuit (8 laps), Men

Top favourites for the event were the American “Pain Train” of Ethan Cepuran, Casey Dawson and Emery Lehman. Not known for their individual results (although Dawson won a 5,000 m World Cup in 2025), after earning bronze in Beijing the three grew even better as a team. This led them to a 2025 World title, three World Cup wins in the 2025/26 season, and a world record. Different teams had filled the World Cup podium behind the Americans: the 2024 World Champions, Italy, who were seeking to repeat the 2006 upset victory of the Italian team; the surprising French, led by 5,000 m world record holder Timothy Loubineaud; defending champion Norway, who only had one good result in the World Cup.

In the quarter-finals, title contenders Italy and USA raced each other, with Italy surprisingly beating the US by about a second. The other semi-final spots were hotly contested. Norway was unlucky to miss 5,000 m champion Sander Eitrem due to illness, and placed only sixth. China beat them with a strong 3:41.66. The Dutch and French fought for the remaining spot, with Netherlands winning it as the French had troubles staying together in the final metres. In the semi-finals, the Netherlands mounted an attempt to beat the Italians, swapping in 10,000 m bronze medallist Jorrit Bergsma. While they were briefly in the lead at the halfway point, the Italians were never in real trouble, finishing in 3:38.88. China also swapped in a reserve bronze medallist: Ning Zhongyan, a sprinter. This gave the Chinese a lead at the start against the United States, but after three laps they seemed to have given up, instead saving themselves for the B Final. The US could afford a slower pace, finishing in 3:44.29. In the small final, China (without Ning) now again opened quickly, and kept widening the gap until three quarters of the way. Their 2-second lead then quickly evaporated, but at the finish line the Chinese still had a 0.09-second advantage, to earn their country’s first ever medal in the event. In the final, the Americans attempted to speed away from the host nation, but after four laps, only led by 0.65 seconds. The Italians then quickly closed the gap as the US lost steam and won by 3:39.20.

This was Italy’s third speed skating gold medal in the Games, having previously only won two golds, both at the 2006 Games in Torino. For both Ethan Cepuran and Casey Dawson it was their second Olympic medal, having been part of the US team that was third in Beijing 2022.