Lehman earns way onto World Cup team

Emery Lehman, a junior at OPRF High School, competed in the U.S. Long Track Speedskating Senior Fall World Cup qualifier at the Pettit National Long Track Olympic Ice Center in Milwaukee last weekend.

Lehman, 16, was the only junior class skater to compete for one of four  available World Cup slots in the 5,000-meter Senior class race. He skated to a time of 6:28.56, breaking the Junior B Men world record, and placing second overall among seniors, thus earning a spot on the team. Lehman was less than one second behind the winner, Olympic medalist Brian Hansen, 22, and 1.25 seconds ahead of Olympic medalist Jonathan Kuck, 22, who finished third.

The 10-member team will compete in The Netherlands next weekend and travel to Russia at the end of the month.