Maame Biney

American short track speed skater Maame Biney was born in Accra, Ghana, on Jan. 20, 2000. While visiting her father in Virginia at the age of five, she decided to remain in the United States where she began her skating career at the age of six taking figure skating lessons, but soon switched to speed skating at the recommendation of her instructor. She quickly became known for her quickness off the starting line, which is most essential in her signature race, the 500-meter. Biney first received major national acclaim when she won a bronze medal in the 500-meters at the 2017 World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Innsbruck, Austria. Several months later, she won the the America's Cup at the U.S. Speedskating Short Track World Cup Qualifier. Biney secured her spot on the 2018 U.S. Olympic speed skating team by winning the 500-meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials in December 2017. Biney became the first African-American woman to qualify for the U.S. Olympic speedskating team and its youngest member for the 2018 games, as well as the second African-born athlete to represent the United States at the Winter Olympic Games. She drew new national attention for her athletic prowess when she finished second in the opening heat for the 500-meter short-track speedskating event, guaranteeing her a spot in the event's quarterfinals. Maame Biney currently lives in Reston, Virginia.