Ben Thornock
P
ersistent. Positive. Passionate. These are the words that describe Ben Thornock, a Utah-based speedskater. He’s one of 11 skaters on the USA short track team headed to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Short-track racing was first added to the Olympics in 1992. Skaters explode from the starting line and reach speeds up to 35 mph as they muscle down an
18 | utahstories.com
Ben Thornock at the Olympic Oval
oval track that is 111.1 meters in length. “You have to put in work every single day and you have to be committed. You also have to enjoy what you do because if you don’t, you won’t be able to go in every day and give your best.” For Thornock, giving his best consists of waking up at 8 a.m. and heading over to the Olympic Oval in Kearn. After a 30-45 minute warm-up session,
PHOTO BY JOHN TAYLOR
By Palak Jayswal
