Maame Biney Becomes First African American Woman to Qualify for U.S. Olympics Speedskating Team

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, reports the Associated Press. 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, added the L.A. Times. 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 began clapping and then pumping her arms so hard she lost her balance and fell. She went down laughing all the way. “When I realized that I made the Olympic team, I started cheering like crazy and then I made my epic fall,” she said. Biney will be the second Black speedskater on a U.S. Olympic team. Shani Davis was 19 when he qualified for the short track team in 2002. He later switched to long track and won four medals, including two golds.