Maame Biney

Maame Biney (born January 28, 2000) is an American short track speed skater who competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.

Maame Biney
Personal information
Born (2000-01-28) January 28, 2000
Accra, Ghana
Height5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
Sport
CountryUnited States
SportShort track speed skating
Event(s)500 m
1000 m
1500 m
Turned pro2017
Achievements and titles
Olympic finals2018 Winter Olympics
2022 Winter Olympics

Early life

Biney was born in Accra, Ghana. At age five, she relocated to the United States to live with her father. Biney began skating when she was six years old in Northern Virginia. She began figure skating but switched to speed skating on a coach's recommendation.

Career

Biney won the bronze medal in the 500-meters at the 2017 World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships.[1] She made her senior team debut later that year winning the America's Cup at the U.S Speedskating Short Track World Cup Qualifier.[2] On December 16, 2017, Biney qualified for the 2018 Olympics by winning the 500-meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials,[3] becoming the second African-born athlete to represent the U.S. at the Winter Olympics, after Madagascar-born biathlete Dan Westover in 1998.[3]

In the 2018 Olympics, Biney did not make it past her qualifying heat in the 1500-meters and was ousted from the 500-meter race in the quarterfinals.[4]

Coming back from the 2018 Olympics, Biney did well at the 2018 World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships, winning gold in the 500-meters, bronze in the 1000-meters, and bronze overall.

Biney qualified for the 2022 Winter Olympics at the 2022 US Olympic Team Trials - Short Track Speedskating.[5]

References
  1. Penny, Brandon (December 16, 2017). "Maame Biney Becomes First African-American Woman To Make U.S. Olympic Speedskating Team". TeamUSA.org. Archived from the original on December 17, 2017.
  2. Copeland, Kareem (August 20, 2017). "Maame Biney looking like the future of U.S. speedskating". The Denver Post.
  3. Grassie, Julia (December 20, 2017). "Who is Maame Biney?". NBC Olympics.
  4. "Maame Biney - Schedule". Olympic.org.
  5. DiCristoforo, Andrea (2021-12-19). "US Speedskating and Toyota announce the nomination of the 2022 US Olympic Short Track Team".


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