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Lakewood High graduate Erin Bartlett has made the U.S. long track speedskating team and is competing in the World Cup just two years after switching from short track.

(Courtesy Erin Bartlett)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- One year after the Winter Olympics, Lorain native Kelly Gunther is back on the ice for Team USA, and this time she is not alone representing Northeast Ohio.

Gunther and Lakewood High graduate Erin Bartlett are two of the six women on the U.S. World Cup long track speedskating team currently competing in Europe. They finished their first competition Sunday in Hamar, Norway, and are headed to Heerenveen, The Netherlands, this Saturday and Sunday.

Gunther is a long track veteran and Bartlett, 24, has risen the ranks quickly two years after switching from short track.

"Making the World Cup team this season has given me the confidence I have been struggling to find after switching from short track,'' she said in an email. "The transition didn't come easy and has tested me in so many ways, but I would go through it all again because it made me realize how strong of an athlete I really am.''

Skating in the famed Vikingship Olympic Arena, Bartlett and Gunther were not among the top finishers.

Just an American girl! [?] [?] [?] A photo posted by Kelly Gunther (@kels014) on Jan 28, 2015 at 5:34am PST

Gunther was 16th in the B final of the 1,500. Bartlett placed 19th in the mass start, 31st in the B final of the 3,000, and she was 29th in the 1,500 B final.

"I have accepted the way I skated last weekend, not necessarily the happiest with my times, but it was a tough track to skate on and it showed me what I need to work on for the rest of this season,'' said Bartlett, who lives and trains in Salt Lake City. "This year was a great building year going into the next quad to Peyongchang (2018 Winter Olympics).

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The highlight for Team USA last week was Heather Richardson and Brittany Bowe finishing 1-2 in the 1,500. Richardson won in 1:57.30, one second ahead of Bowe.

Gunther was among the more remarkable comeback stories at the Sochi Winter Olympics last year. In 2010, she was left off the Olympic team in a controversial decision, and weeks later was injured in a horrific on-ice accident that was supposed to have ended her career.

Gunther and Bartlett made the World Cup team last month each on the strength of three top-four finishes at the U.S. Championships in Salt Lake City. Gunther was second in the 1,500, third in the 1,000 and fourth in the 500. Bartlett placed second in the 5,000, fourth in the 1,500 and 3,000, fifth in the 1,000 and 10th in the 500.