Fourteen-year-old OPRF High School freshman Emery Lehman recently earned one of five coveted spots on the U.S. Junior Long Track Speed Skating World Team.
The team will represent the U.S. in the 2011 World Junior Speedskating Championships to be held in Seinajoki, Finland, on Feb. 25-27. The team will then continue on to compete in the 2011 Junior World Cup Final in Groningen, The Netherlands, on March 5-6.
Lehman earned the spot by coming in first overall in the 5,000-meter race, out-racing all American juniors with a blistering 6:57 time. He finished the meet third overall among all U.S. juniors. The skaters are comprised of males ages 14 to 19 years old. Lehman is the youngest skater to make the Junior World Team. He skates for the Franklin Park Speed Skating Club.