Born in Accra, Ghana, Maame Biney moved to the United States when she was five after her father emigrated to Washington DC. Soon after she was introduced to the world of speedskating by sheer chance when taken to a local ice rink in the Northern Virginia suburbs. She immediately fell in love with skating and when her instructors told her that she was too fast for figure skating, Biney found her home on the track.

Known for her beaming smile, Biney burst onto the scene aged just 17 when she became the first African-American woman to qualify for the US short track speed skating team, winning the 500m team trial race in December 2017. She competed in Pyeongchang, South Korea in 2018, making it to the quarter-finals of the 500m race, but was ousted in the qualifying heat of the 1500m event.

Continually improving, Biney showcased her huge potential in 2021 when she won gold in the 500m, 1,000m and 1,500m to claim the women’s overall title at the US Championships. Still in the early stages of her career, there is not doubt that Biney will be a force in the world of speed skating for many years to come.

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