Mia Manganello Kilburg and Ethan Cepuran win on the first day of the U.S. speedskating trials at an eerily empty Pettit Center
Physically Mia Manganello Kilburg is in top shape, still training for the Olympics and not quite at her peak.
But her main focus Wednesday night as the U.S. long-track speedskating trials began was mental.
She would compete in 3,000 meters with no crowd in the cavernous Pettit National Ice Center – mostly just her, her inner voice and whatever instructions or encouragement she could hear, clear as a bell – as she concentrated on working the corners.
“I was very nervous going into it,” said Manganello Kilburg, who won the opening event on the first day of the trials. “I have been having a lot of work going into this race, mentally. I'm physically prepared for this race, but the head is a whole other thing and to get around that and for this particular race was very typical for me. Today I really feel like I conquered a beast that I've been fighting for a while.”
Competing in the final pair, Manganello Kilburg covered the distance in 4 minutes 7.605 seconds, finishing 7.74 seconds ahead of Dessie Weigel.
Tickets for three of the five days of the trials had been sold out, but US Speedskating decided Sunday the event would be closed to the public and media because of the spike in COVID-19 in the Milwaukee area.
The goal, USS said, was to create a limited competition bubble to give athletes the best chance of avoiding an infection that would keep them from being able to enter China for the Olympics Feb 4-20.
Just entering the Pettit was bizarre, Manganello Kilburg said, with the absence of family and friends.
“But to be honest, I think it kind of helped,” said Manganello Kilburg, a 2018 OIympian. “For me at least to not have the outside noise, to really be able to focus on what I needed to focus on what was in my mind, and then hearing my coach on the back stretch. I tend to get excited and a bit anxious within the race.”
While there were no fans, the family and speedskating community created its own support.
"I can't tell you how many people have reached out to me just being like, we're happy to know you're here, we're happy to see you - even if we can't see you in person," said Ethan Cepuran, who won the men’s 5,000 meters, the second and final event of the day. "Even if you can't watch it in person, watch it on TV. I know my parents reached out to everybody."
Cepuran charged over the final three laps to gain 1½ seconds to edge out Casey Dawson at the finish line with a time of 6:16.538 to Dawson’s 6:16.575. Emery Lehman, who had skated in the previous pair, was a close third at 6:16.703.
“I had no idea” of the outcome until seeing the results, said Cepuran, a 21-year-old former Marquette University student from Glen Ellyn, Illinois, who considers the Pettit Center his home rink. “I knew we were close to Emery. I mean, he threw down an absolutely amazing race.
"I watched Emery skate since I was a kid. I know him. He's an amazing skater. I mean, he laid the hammer down and you know, you're on the line. I was like, 'Oh, shoot. Here we go, like this. It's go time for Casey and I' and I knew if I could just keep Casey within my sights a little bit, I can dig deep those last few outs.”
The trials continue through Sunday. The men’s and women’s 1,000 meters races are scheduled for Thursday, with television coverage from 6-7:30 p.m. on USA Network cable.
This week has been an eye opener for the entire U.S. team, said Matt Kooreman, long track program director.
After executive director Ted Morris and the USS board of directors made the call to keep fans and media out of the trials, and the team experienced five positive cases – affecting three athletes who were kept from competing – the team felt the absence of the crowd, especially because this is such a family-oriented sport.
“That's such a huge blow – but I also, personally, understand trying to keep contact points to a minimum here because it was just so close to the Olympic Games,” said Kooreman. “It's tough to take a chance like that. And this wave has hit so fast, I think everyone's kind of scrambling a little bit too, to try to protect themselves.”
The spike of the fourth coronavirus wave, this time the Omicron variant, has forced the team to tighten down.
“It’s just about being disciplined now,” said Kooreman. “No public places, no coffee shops or restaurants. Limit your contact points with people. All the sanitization methods, just be super diligent. They all have a 95 mask now. Anytime they're near anybody – wear those.
“I think for the most part, it's gotten really real for everybody. And so, in a good way, I think they're, they're being more disciplined that they ever have been, trying to avoid contracting COVID.
“You don't like the added stress of it, but at the same time, it's really a sense of urgency.”
The Pettit has also really opened up with just athletes, coaches and officials.
“The Pettit has done a great job," he said. "Really you can separate yourself if you want to here.”
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Manganello Kilburg, Cepuran win with no fans at speedskating trials
