Biney is 1st black woman to make Olympic speedskating team
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Maame Biney reacts during a medal ceremony after winning women’s 500-meter A final race during the U.S. Olympic short track speedskating trials today in Kearns, Utah.
KEARNS, Utah >> Maame Biney became the first black woman to qualify for a U.S. Olympic speedskating 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 today, beating Olympians Lana Gehring, Jessica Kooreman and Katherine Reutter-Adamek.
In the second final, Biney took an early lead that widened as the race went on. She crossed the finish line and began clapping and then pumping her arms so hard she lost her balance and fell.
She went down laughing all the way.
Biney will be the second black speedskater on a U.S. Olympic team. Shani Davis was 19 when he made the short track team in 2002. He later switched to long track and won four medals, including two golds.
