Gay Utah speedskater Conor McDermott-Mostowy makes his push toward the 2026 Winter Olympics
Conor McDermott-Mostowy isn’t just skating fast; he’s skating furiously, with the Torino 2026 Winter Olympics squarely in his sights. The openly gay U.S. speedskater has spent the past few seasons clawing his way up the international rankings with breakout races, clutch last-minute substitutions, and the kind of resilience only queer athletes seem to master by necessity.
And Utah has been part of the story from the start. McDermott-Mostowy logged some of his most explosive times on the Salt Lake City oval, including the blistering 1:06.91 1000-meter run that first caught national attention. He trains here. He thrives here. Utah ice is woven into the Olympic dream he refuses to let go of.
That dream became even more urgent after he stepped up for Team USA in Japan, filling in for a teammate with almost no notice, grinding out six high-intensity laps in team pursuit, and proving that he’s not just a contender, he’s a reliable, big-moment athlete coaches can trust. It was the kind of performance that forces Olympic selectors to take notice.
In November, he kicked off the 2025/2026 World Cup competition season in Salt Lake City with a good world ranking and personal bests. He scored a bronze medal in the 100-meter and a silver in the 1500-meter.
“Now the real work toward the Olympics begins,” he posted on Instagram.
Still, the path to 2026 is brutally competitive. Speedskating offers nothing guaranteed: no big salaries, no massive endorsements, no safety net. Just training, travel, and a hope that your legs, lungs, and nerves hold together at precisely the right moment. McDermott-Mostowy has pushed through illness, financial strain, and the internal pressure of wanting to represent not only his country, but his community — queer athletes who rarely get to see themselves on winter-sports podiums.
“When it comes to sponsorships, especially over the past year, I’ve noticed a shift,” McDermott-Mostowy told Instinct Magazine of his financial challenges. “As anti-DEI sentiment grows, brands are backing away from anything that could be seen as ‘controversial.’ Being openly gay seems to fall into that category now. Since most of our income comes from sponsorships, that retreat is deeply felt.”
Coming out in 2021 transformed him from a quiet contender into a visible symbol. He stepped into the global spotlight for LGBTQ+ representation in winter sports — a world still catching up to the cultural progress seen in summer competitions. Through Pride House LA, Out Athlete Fund programming, and his own candid storytelling, McDermott-Mostowy uses visibility the way he uses speed: boldly, strategically, and with heart.
“[Visibility] is something I’ve thought a lot about recently. I’ve ultimately come to the conclusion that it is more important than ever,” McDermott-Mostowy told The Los Angeles Blade. “We’re at a moment when LGBTQ+ rights, protections, and services are being rolled back in many places. The only way to push back against that is to be loud, present, and unapologetically ourselves.”
And as he barrels toward the 2026 trials, he is also thinking of when the Olympics will be back on his home ice. Utah will host the 2034 Winter Games, meaning the next generation of queer skaters, skiers, and sliders will grow up knowing that the world’s biggest sporting stage is coming to their backyard.
“I’m excited for the games to come back to Utah. The ‘02 games were a resounding success and had such an impact on the state and the culture of sport that exists here now. The organizers of the 2034 games are incredible and are already laying the groundwork for a worthy successor to the ‘02 games,” he told QSaltLake. “I won’t make it to those games, but I’m excited to cheer on my teammates and do everything that I can to ensure the event and my sport are successful in 2034.”
For now, though, everything funnels toward one electrifying goal: punching his ticket to Torino. Every lap. Every sprint. Every brutal training session in Salt Lake City counts.
He’s not just chasing a dream; he’s chasing history. And if he lands in the 2026 Olympic lineup, he won’t be skating alone. He’ll be carrying every queer Utah kid who ever wondered whether icy arenas, tight skinsuits, and roaring crowds were spaces where they could belong.
Conor McDermott-Mostowy is racing to prove they absolutely are.
You can help Conor get to the Olympics financially at venmo.com/conormm_skating
