Four-time Olympian Emery Lehman returned to his roots at the Pettit National Ice Center, where his speed skating journey began 16 years ago as an 8-year-old.
"It's nice, I've got memories here since I was eight years old, since the year I started speed skating. I can remember the first time that I skated with my dad, and the fastest lap I could do was like a minute. Now it's like 24, 25 seconds, so a lot of memories here being in school at Marquette, my mom, our coaches driving me up, I love coming back," Lehman said.
The Marquette University graduate earned a civil engineering degree and holds a master's degree in structural engineering. But speed skating has been his passion for 16 years.
Watch: Emery Lehman's quest for Olympic gold continues as 4-time Olympian eyes the 1,500-meter event
"I've been around this sport for a while. When I was making my first team in 2014, I was seventeen, and I was looking up to everybody, and now I'm one of the older guys around the block; it's a weird feeling. I used to tease Shani about being old, now I feel like I'm the old," Lehman said.
Lehman and his teammates entered the team pursuit as favorites to win gold but settled for silver behind Italy's gold medal performance.
"I mean, it's the best result that I've ever had, so it's pretty cool. It's been different in so many ways. We had a little more pressure on us as the defending world champions, world champions, world record holders, world cup overall, so those are all the new things for me. As long as I've been around and going through it for the first time with these guys, it's been a lot of fun," Lehman said.
Lehman will compete in the 1,500 meters on Thursday morning.
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