17-Year-Old Maame Biney Becomes First Black Woman To Qualify for U.S. Olympic Speedskating Team

Remember the name Maame Biney and look out for her in the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympics in Beijing. The 17-year-old Ghana native just beat three Olympians, Lana Gehring, Jessica Kooreman and Katherine Reutter-Adamek, in the 500 meter speed skating finals on this past Saturday, qualifying her as the newest member of the U.S. Speedskating Olympic team, making her the first black woman in history to qualify.

With her father in the stands cheering her on with a homemade sign that read, “Kick some hiney Biney“, that’s exactly what she did! In her second final, she maintained a pace that helped her in taking an early lead; then crossing the finish line she got so excited she fell down after losing her balance. That however, didn’t stop her from laughing and enjoying the moment that was a historical victory.

Maame Biney the second black skater to be a member of the speedskating team; Shani Davis first qualified for the team at the age of 19. Davis is now 35 and will also compete to make the long track speedskating team on next month.

In an interview with ESPN, Biney went on to explain her first reaction to the news:“I can’t believe it, aww geez, It’s a really good feeling, but it has to set in first because it takes me a while. I’m like, ‘holy cow.”

Congratulations to this teenage Olympian sensation, and in the words of her father; kick some hiney Biney!

Source: ESPN