WASHINGTON — When U.S. speedskater Connor McDermott-Mostowy steps onto the long track oval in Milan, Italy, he'll be making his Olympic debut.
He'll also be one of more than 40 out LGBTQ athletes from around the world competing in the 2026 Winter Games, a record according to Outsports. "That's great, but I'm sure there's more than that," said McDermott-Mostowy.
The Washington, D.C. native says that while the increase in openly gay athletes at these Games may indicate a change in overall acceptance, "sports are still less inviting for gay men than gay women," adding that of the eight from Team USA, "seven of them are women and then there's me."
McDermott-Mostowy, who uses both of his parents' last names, has stayed the course as a role model for LGBTQ inclusion throughout his speedskating career.
After winning a gold medal at the U.S. speedskating championships in 2021, McDermott-Mostowy publicly came out as gay and, ever since, has supported athletes who struggle with being open about their sexual identity.
"This problem is especially acute with team sports where there may be more physical or emotional risk to coming out and a greater sense of not wanting to rock the boat," he said.
In 2022, McDermott-Mostowy missed the team roster by a narrow margin. He contracted norovirus a month before the trials. "I was bedridden for several days and lost twelve pounds in two days," he said. "There was no coming back from being that sick," he explained. "So it was like falling in slow motion. For a whole month, I was watching my Olympic dream get further and further away."
McDermott-Mostowy made a comeback with consistent top finishes at world speedskating competitions these past couple of years. Last month, his Olympic dream came through when he placed first in the Men's 1000 meters at the U.S. team trials and punched his ticket to the Winter Games.
He'll race in the 1000 meters again in Milan and is an alternate in Team Pursuit, where two teams of three skaters start on opposite sides of the oval in a head-to-head race.
In addition to his world-ranked status, McDermott-Mostowy was elected by his peers to serve on U.S. Speedskating's board of directors as an athlete rep, along with teammate and four-time Olympian Brittany Bowe, who is also publicly out. Together, they've earned the trust and respect of their fellow teammates.
" I would say it played a role in my desire to be an advocate for other queer athletes and LGBT rights in general," McDermott-Mostowy said.
Elizabeth McDermott — a school nurse — says she texts her son almost every day about things moms worry about, like whether he has eaten. "That's the first thing I ask him. And if he's sleeping and if he's wearing a mask and I think I drive him crazy," she said with a chuckle.
McDermott said while she also worries about her son being an openly gay athlete in this "current political climate," she finds comfort knowing his speedskating teammates and coaches continue to support him as who he is.
Her husband, Tom Mostowy, said, "We're probably more proud of that than his skating."
Chris Callis was one of McDermott-Mostowy's first speedskating coaches at the defunct Kids On Ice speedskating program at an ice rink in D.C.'s Anacostia neighborhood. Despite the wobbles and stumbles, Callis said he saw the makings of an Olympian early on.
"Connor was that type of person. And so it's not really about the skating, it's more about the character. He knew how to put on his skates. And he knew how to get there on time," Callis said.
On Feb. 11, Connor McDermott-Mostow expects to arrive at the oval on time, lace up his skates and be blazingly fast at the sound of the starting pistol.
"The only thing I can do is go out there and be the best that I can be and try to stand up for what I believe in and hopefully someone will see the value in that," he says.
A home crowd of Kids on Ice skaters, coaches and fans is throwing a watch party at a local D.C. rink to cheer him across the finish line.
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