Kristen Santos-Griswold: A Journey of Resilience and Redemption
MILAN — Imagine dedicating your life to a dream, pushing your limits, and standing on the precipice of victory, only to have it snatched away in a heartbeat. That’s the reality Team USA speed skater Kristen Santos-Griswold faced in Beijing four years ago. Now, as she prepares to compete in the 500-meter event, she’s determined to skate beyond the shadow of what could have been.
The Heartbreak in Beijing
At her first Olympics in Beijing, Santos-Griswold was leading the 1000m medal race on the final lap. A gold medal seemed within reach. Then, Italy’s Arianna Fontana made a risky maneuver, colliding with Santos-Griswold and causing both skaters to fall. While Fontana’s move was later ruled illegal, Santos-Griswold was left with a fourth-place finish, agonizingly close to the podium.
“The hardest part about this sport,” Santos-Griswold reflected, “is that you can be the best, the fastest, and still have things not work out for you.”
A Moment of Reflection and Re-evaluation
Already older than many of her competitors, and having previously overcome a career-threatening injury that cost her a spot in the 2018 Olympics, Santos-Griswold questioned whether her Olympic dream was slipping away. The disappointment was profound, leading her to step back and re-evaluate her future.
“After 2022 was really hard. I had to take a step back and really reflect and decide if it was something I wanted to keep doing,” she admitted. She deliberately shielded herself from outside opinions, knowing she needed to make the decision for herself.
Rediscovering the Joy of Skating
Months of introspection followed, forcing Santos-Griswold to confront her identity as an athlete. She had begun figure skating at age 3 and transitioned to speed skating at 9, inspired by races she saw on the Disney Channel. For 31 years, speed skating had defined her life.
“The concept of being an athlete, and specifically a speed skater, has really defined my whole life,” she explained. “And thinking that you’re done with that can be really daunting.”
She realized she needed to separate her self-worth from her performance. She began to focus on the journey, savoring the simple pleasures often missed by elite athletes – spontaneous meals, attending friends’ weddings, and enjoying moments outside of rigorous training. She learned to contextualize the 2022 loss, acknowledging the anger, resentment, and unfairness, but ultimately accepting it.
A Return to Victory
A remarkable turnaround followed. In 2024, Santos-Griswold became the first American short-track speed skater to win world championship medals in all three individual distances (500m, 1000m, and 1500m) at a single event since 1992. The following year, she earned her first Crystal Globe, awarded to the world’s top overall short-track skater, and finished the season ranked No. 1 globally. She even revisited the devastating Beijing race, allowing herself to feel the pain and analyze the missed opportunities.
A New Mantra: Untouchable
Now, Santos-Griswold enters the Milan competition with a new mindset: “Untouchable.” Her goal is to build a lead so substantial that no other skater can influence her race. She understands the unpredictable nature of the sport and believes the best way to control the outcome is to create a buffer against external factors.
Kristen Santos-Griswold is no longer the same racer she was in 2022. She’s a married woman with a college degree, embracing a “work smarter, not harder” approach. She’s more grounded, more willing to embrace the process, and more accepting of the things she cannot change.
“I had to really sit there and think, if in four years the same thing happens again, would that be worth it?” she said. “Obviously, I’m here. So I did decide that it would be.”
You can learn more about Team USA and the Winter Olympics at the official Team USA website.
