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SPORTS Monday 18 deceMber 2017
A23

Biney is 1st black woman to make Olympic speedskating team

By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
KEARNS, Utah (AP) —
Maame Biney became the
first black woman to qualify
for a U.S. Olympic speeds-
kating team with a pair of
victories in the 500 meters.
The 17-year-old native of
Ghana cruised to victory in
the first 500 final at the short
track trials on Saturday,
beating Olympians Lana
Gehring, Jessica Kooreman
and Katherine Reutter-
Adamek.
“I can’t believe it, aww
geez,” she said after
squealing with joy. “It’s a
really good feeling, but it
has to set in first because it
takes me a while. I’m like,
‘Holy cow.’”
Before the second final, her
father sitting in the stands
held up a sign reading:
“Kick some hiney Biney.”
She sure did.
Biney set a blistering pace
in taking an early lead that
widened as the wild and
wooly race went on. She
crossed the finish line on
the hockey-sized rink and Maame Biney, center, races to finish during the women’s 500-meter final A during the U.S. Olympic short track speedskating trials
began clapping and then Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017, in Kearns, Utah.
pumping her arms so hard Associated Press
she lost her balance and Now 35, Davis will try to In the second final, Cel- Aaron Tran, who won the four in the second final.
fell. make the long track team ski finished second to John- first 500 and finished last The men’s and women’s
She went down laughing all at its trials next month. Henry Krueger, who quali- among four in the second 1,000 will be contested Sun-
the way. On the men’s side, J.R. fied for his second individu- final. day at the Utah Olympic
“When I realized that I Celski qualified for his third al event in South Korea. He Tran attended the same Oval.
made the Olympic team, I Olympic team despite a made the team Friday by middle and high schools six Thomas Hong, who was
started cheering like crazy crash in the early rounds of winning the 1,500. years apart from Celski in born in South Korea, and
and then I made my epic the men’s 500. He rebound- “Last night I made sure not their hometown of Federal Ryan Pivirotto still have
fall,” she said. ed to win the C final, finish- to get too excited and try Way, Washington. shots to make the men’s
Biney will be the second ing well ahead of the other to keep my composure,” “He’s a great role model, team, which will be com-
black speedskater on a U.S. three skaters. Krueger said. “My goal was a great leader,” said Tran, prised of five skaters.
Olympic team. Shani Davis “I really couldn’t get con- to keep a steady speed but who first met Celski when Former Olympians Koore-
was 19 when he qualified trol of myself after the first to keep my track tight and he came to their middle man and Reutter-Adamek,
for the short track team in fall,” he said. “I fell into the make sure no one could school for an assembly. along with Kristen Santos,
2002. He later switched to pads a little awkward, kind pass.” Lana Gehring, already on remain in contention for the
long track and won four of hurt myself a bit but for- Joining Krueger and Cel- the Olympic team in the women’s team, which only
medals, including two tunately my trainer and I ski on the men’s team is 1,500, finished second in has three spots available.q
golds. took care of it.” 21-year-old Olympic rookie the first 500 and last among