N.W.T. speed skaters break multiple records at Arctic Winter Games

Two N.W.T. speed skaters have set multiple records at the 2024 Arctic Winter Games (AWG) in Mat-Su, Alaska.

Yellowknife's Lochlan Dunn, 17, said he felt like he raced "spectacularly" in the 777-metre contest, and felt like he had managed to break the record.

"I felt that my technique was on point, that I was doing everything I could," Dunn said.

When he saw his time of 1:11.25, he realized he had. The previous record was set in 2023 by Sage Acorn who had a time of 1:12.15.

Acorn had just broken the record of Olympian Michael Gilday who set it with a time of 1:12.22 about two decades ago.

Dunn is bringing home three gold ulus — the medals are modelled after an ulu, a traditional Inuit knife. Along with the 777-metre race, he also won the 500-metre and 100-metre races.

This is Dunn's second and final AWG and he says he exceeded his expectations.

He plans to celebrate by sleeping in his own bed "with nobody else in the room," Dunn said.

"Because we've got like … 12 other people who sleep in the same classroom with me right now."

But before he can catch up on sleep, he still has to complete in the 1,500-metre race and potentially some relay races.

More records set

He's not alone with setting records. Seiya McEachern, 14, broke the 400- and 500-metre records, taking gold ulus in both. He also won gold in the 1,000-metre race.

McEachern, who's also from Yellowknife, narrowly missed setting a record at last year's game and made it a goal to set one in 2024.

McEachern said his younger brother also won silver medals in the same races, which made him proud. McEachern is about to move up an age category, giving his brother the chance to break his record in the next games.

"It feels good to get a couple of golds before my younger brother can go for them," he said.

McEachern still has to compete in the 1,500-metre race, which is scheduled for Friday.