SALT LAKE CITY, UT (WFLA) — After heartbreak in Beijing, short track speed skater Kristen Santos-Griswold thought about hanging up her skates for good.
The competition drew her back in again and now she is on her journey to Italy.
Whether it’s training at the Olympic Oval in Utah or an Olympic race, Santos-Griswold makes sure to start off on the right foot.
“I always put my right skate on first,” said Santos-Griswold.
The Fairfield, CT native said she does not remember learning how to skate.
At three years old, she was already figuring skating.
“Then when I was about 8 or 9, I saw a Disney Channel commercial for speed skating and begged my mom to get into it. She very much thought I would forget,” said Santos-Griswold.
She did not forget.
A year later, Santos-Griswold was speed skating and already hooked on the competitive nature of the high speed sport.
It is a passion she did not expect to continue into her thirties.
“It’s been a long journey but it’s been really fun,” she said.
Part of the reason Santos-Griswold is still lacing up, right foot first, is because of what happened during the 1000 meter short track speeding skating final in the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022.
“With a lap to go, I was in medaling position and was taken out by another athlete. They ended up getting disqualified but ultimately I ended up in the pads, so ended up with a fourth place finish,” she said.
Recovering, mentally and emotionally, from that took time.
She had to decide if she could go through that again.
“I knew in four years from now, I could go to the Games. I could be ready. I could be the frontrunner. I could be expected to win a medal and everything and the same thing could happen out of my control and I had to figure out if I was gonna be OK with that,” said Santos-Griswold.
Ultimately, Santos-Griswold figured out she had more fight left and is going into the Milan Winter Olympics with a goal of doing her best and enjoying herself.
“I am feeling anxious and nervous of course but also really excited. I really just want to focus on enjoying this year of skating and giving it my all and I’m looking to go out there and step on the line feeling confident and happy and ready to go,” she said.
Fun fact: Santos-Griswold is a vegan with two Huskies Bear and Koda.
