Print the Biography/Short

Connor Howe

Canada

SportSpeed Skating
FederationIDSSCAN11006200001
NOCCanada
Born10 Jun 2000 in  Regina
GenderMen
ResidenceCalgary, AB, CAN
Higher educationMathematics - University of Calgary: Canada
OccupationAthlete, Student
LanguagesEnglish
Personal Bests
EventRecordDateLocation 
Personal Bests
  Event RecordDateLocation 
    500m 35.23 03 Jan 2020 Calgary  
    1000m 1:07.19 05 Dec 2021 Salt Lake City, UT  
    1500m 1:42.34 23 Sep 2023 Calgary  
    5000m 6:22.15 19 Nov 2022 Heerenveen  
    10000m 13:39.76 18 Mar 2023 Calgary  
Main Achievements
 
Main Achievements
World Junior Championships
Event  
World Junior Championships
    Team Sprint   1    
World Single Distances Championships
Event  
World Single Distances Championships
    Team Pursuit 8 Laps   2 1  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
When and where did you begin this sport?He began short track skating at age seven at the Banff Canmore Speed Skating Club in Alberta, Canada. He took up long track speed skating at age 15.  
Social Media
Social Media
www.facebook.com/connor.howe.9041  
General Interest
General Interest
HobbiesTennis. (Athlete, 17 Jan 2021)  
AmbitionsTo compete at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina. (rmotoday.com, 28 Feb 2022)  
Awards and honoursHe received the 2021/22 Male Open Long Track Skater of the Year award from Speed Skating Alberta in Canada. (albertaspeedskating.ca, 01 Mar 2022)

In December 2019 he received the Peter Williamson Memorial Bursary from Speed Skating Canada, which is presented annually to promising skaters who best combine athletic and scholastic achievement. (speedskating.ca, 10 Dec 2019)

He was named Alberta Junior Long Track Speed Skater of the Year at the 2016/17 and 2018/19 Alberta Speed Skating Awards in Canada. (albertaspeedskating.ca, 08 Mar 2019)

At the 2015/16 Alberta Speed Skating Awards he received the Kevin Sirois Memorial Award, which is presented to the speed skater who has best exemplified dedication, perseverance and sportsmanship among other qualities. (albertaspeedskating.ca, 08 Mar 2019)
 
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Training RegimeHe trains at the Olympic Oval in Calgary, AB, Canada.  
General Interest
General Interest
Memorable sporting achievementCompeting at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. (rmotoday.com, 28 Feb 2022; cbc.ca, 08 Feb 2022)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Reason for choosing this sport"I enjoyed skating from a young age so my parents had me try speed skating." He was later inspired by watching the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. "I paid attention [to Vancouver]. It was pretty special to see. [Competing at the Olympics] seemed really far off, like a low-chance dream, but every year it got more likely in my head. I didn't know if it would happen for sure, until it actually did [in 2022]. It kind of just worked out."  
General Interest
General Interest
Most influential person in careerHis parents. (Athlete, 17 Jan 2021)  
Hero / IdolCanadian speed skater Denny Morrison. (Athlete, 17 Jan 2021)  
Sport Specific Information
Sport Specific Information
Name of coachBart Schouten [national], NED  
General Interest
General Interest
Sporting philosophy / motto"It never gets easier, you just get faster." (Athlete, 17 Jan 2021)  
Other informationTWO-YEAR PLAN
He claimed titles in the 1500m and mass start at the 2022 Canadian Championships, and also won silver in the 1000m and finished fourth in the 5000m. After the event he revealed he was partway through a two-year plan that includes prioritising individual racing to improve his chances of a medal at the world allround championships. "I don't think I've ever won a mass start before, so that was kind of a nice surprise. It's kind of a two-year little project I'm working on to do the distances all across the board to get ready for that competition [the world allround championships]." (rmotoday.com, 20 Oct 2022)

DEBUT OLYMPIC EXPERIENCE
He finished fifth in both the men's 1500m and men's team pursuit at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, as well as 12th in the men's 1000m. He had hoped to win a medal in the 1500m and team pursuit, and finish in the top 10 in the 1000m. "I was pretty sure I wasn't going to win the gold [in the 1500m], but that third and fourth place was within reach, so I kind of had to shoot for that in the back of my mind. [In the team pursuit] we knew we were in the mix for being top four, but yeah, we were doing our strategy with Ted [Jan Bloemen leading] the whole thing – that's what the Americans and Norwegians were doing and the Russians started doing pretty successfully. We worked on that, but we weren't as good as they were, so it was a bit disappointing. I'll take it one year at a time, but I think it would be cool to come back in four years [at Milan-Cortina 2026] and try to build on it." (rmotoday.com, 28 Feb 2022)
 
Championships results
Year Competition Event Rank  
Championships results
    2023/2024 Four Continents Championships 1500m1  
    2020/2021 World Single Distances Championships Team Pursuit 8 Laps2  
    2022/2023 World Single Distances Championships Team Pursuit2  
    2023/2024 Four Continents Championships Team Pursuit2  
    2023/2024 World Single Distances Championships Team Pursuit3  
    2022 Olympic Games Team Pursuit5  
    2022 Olympic Games 1500m5  
    2020/2021 World Single Distances Championships 1500m6  
    2020/2021 World Single Distances Championships 1000m10  
    2022/2023 World Single Distances Championships 1500m10  
    2022 Olympic Games 1000m12  
    2023/2024 World Single Distances Championships 1500m12  
    2022/2023 World Single Distances Championships Mass Start14  
    2019/2020 World Single Distances Championships 1500m19  
    2023/2024 World Single Distances Championships 1000m19  
    2018/2019 World Single Distances Championships 1500m24  
World Cups
Year Competition Event Rank  
World Cups
    2022/2023 Heerenveen 1500m1  
    2022/2023 World Cup Classification 1500m2  
    2021/2022 World Cup Classification 1500m2  
    2022/2023 Calgary, AB Team Pursuit2  
    2021/2022 Tomaszów Mazowiecki Team Pursuit2  
    2020/2021 Heerenveen Team Pursuit 8 Laps2  
    2022/2023 Stavanger 1500m2  
    2021/2022 Calgary, AB 1500m2  
    2022/2023 Calgary, AB Mass Start2  
    2021/2022 Calgary, AB Team Pursuit3  
    2020/2021 Heerenveen Team Pursuit 8 Laps3  
    2021/2022 Heerenveen 1500m3  
    2023/2024 Quebec, QC 1500m3  
    2023/2024 World Cup Classification 1500m5  
    2021/2022 World Cup Classification 1000m10  
    2022/2023 World Cup Classification Mass Start10  
    2020/2021 World Cup Classification 1500m10  
    2022/2023 World Cup Classification 1000m12  
    2020/2021 World Cup Classification 1000m14  
    2023/2024 World Cup Classification 1000m15  
    2023/2024 World Cup Classification Mass Start23  
    2022/2023 World Cup Classification 5000/10000m33  
    2019/2020 World Cup Classification 1000m36  
    2019/2020 World Cup Classification 1500m41  
    2023/2024 World Cup Classification 5000/10000m49  
    2018/2019 World Cup Classification 1500m56