Lana Gehring and John-Henry Krueger have become the first two short track athletes named to the United States’ team for Pyeongchang 2018 ©2017 US Speedskating/Melissa Majchrzak

Lana Gehring and John-Henry Krueger have become the first two short track athletes named to the United States team for Pyeongchang 2018 after coming out as the overall winners in the respective men's and women's 1,500 metres events at the national Olympic Team Trials in Utah.

Gehring is set to make her second Olympic appearance having swept the women's 1,500m events at the Utah Olympic Oval.

The A Final of the second event featured three Olympians, two of which were penalised at various points of the race.

Katherine Reutter-Adamek was punished when she caused a race-stopping crash.

After the re-start, Jessica Kooreman was reprimanded for a kick-out as she sprawled across the finish line.

"I couldn't be more pleased with my performance," Gehring, a member of the US' Olympic bronze medal-winning women's 3,000m relay team at Vancouver 2010, said.

"The first day is a lot of races.

"It's Olympic Trials, anything can happen as you saw with that re-start.

"So yeah, it's always a surprise and you are really grateful and thankful for the performances you do have."

Lana Gehring will make her second Olympic appearance at Pyeongchang 2018 ©Getty Images
Lana Gehring will make her second Olympic appearance at Pyeongchang 2018 ©Getty Images

After a second-place finish and a win in the men's 1,500m, Krueger is in line to make his Olympic debut at Pyeongchang 2018.

"It's a dream come true," he said.

"The first couple of seconds, I couldn't believe it.

"As soon as I was hugging my mom and saw her crying, I knew I wasn't going to wake up from a dream."

In the first of the two men's 1,500m events, Krueger put himself in great position by edging out Adam Callister for the runners-up spot.

That momentum continued into the second event, which saw him cross the line first in both of his heats.

"I feel stronger and more confident [compared to 2014] in my skating," Krueger said.

"The first two rounds were a little rusty.

"That's normal for me.

"In most competitions it takes time for me to warm up and get a feel for the competition, but all that matters is that second round at the end and I was able to shine through and take the win."

John-Henry Krueger is in line for his Olympic debut at Pyeongchang 2018 ©Getty Images
John-Henry Krueger is in line for his Olympic debut at Pyeongchang 2018 ©Getty Images

The entire US Olympic short track speed skating team will be formally named at the conclusion of this weekend's races.

It will consist of five male and three female skaters, subject to approval by the United States Olympic Committee.

The Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics are due to take place from February 9 to 25.  

Both long and short track events will be held in the Gangneung coastal cluster.

All competitions for short track are to be held at the Gangneung Ice Arena, which will also host figure skating and has a seating capacity of 12,000.