Speedskater Greta Myers, 21, of Minnesota was added to the 3,000 meter women’s competition roughly three hours before the race started.
MILAN, Italy — U.S. speedskater Greta Myers made her Olympic debut Saturday in the women’s 3,000 meter event after she was added to the race mere hours before it began.
The 21-year-old from Minnesota finished with a time of 4:13.46 and was one of 20 skaters competing in the event.
Myers was added to the competition roughly three hours before the race started, after Czechia’s Martina Sablikova withdrew from the race.
Myers’ excitement was palpable in a post she shared on social media after learning the news.
“HEY! I’ll be racing the 3k today!!!!,” she wrote. “Quite unexpected but I’m so incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to skate and give it my very best!!”
Myers’ participation race came as a bit of a surprise after the U.S. failed to qualify any skaters for either of the two women’s long-distance events when entering the Winter Games, but Myers topped the U.S. Olympic Trials for the event in January and was able to secure the first alternate quota spot with her results on the World Cup circuit, according to an NBC report.
Myers placed 20th in the event, falling 19.18 seconds behind gold medal winner Francesca Lollobrigida of Italy, who set a new Olympic record of 3:54.28 on her 35th birthday.
Myers has also qualified to compete in the women’s 1,500 meter, the women’s mass start and the women’s team pursuit relay.