GANGNEUNG, South Korea _ The U.S.' Maame Biney finished second Saturday night in her first-ever Olympic race to advance for the semifinals of the 500-meter short track speedskating competition.
"Oh, geez!" the 18-year-old from Reston, Va., said. "That was very nerve-racking! My legs were like, woooo!"
The semifinals and final of the event will be held Tuesday at Gangneung Ice Arena.
Biney completed the first-round race in 43.665 seconds, behind Kexin Fan (43.350), the 2017 world champion from China who led the race wire to wire.
Biney said her plan was to block Alang Kim of South Korea, who finished third in the four-woman race.
"The last lap, if she wanted to pass me, she had to go on the outside and not the inside," Biney said. "I blocked her pretty well. It's the best block I've ever done."
Biney acknowledged she raced cautiously and didn't unleash her fiercely competitive alter-ego she calls Anna Digger.
"On Tuesday, you're definitely going to see her," she said. "You're going to be like, 'Whoa, that's the girl I know!' Next time, you're going to see Anna."
Elise Christie of Great Britain won her opening race in 42.872 seconds, a new Olympic record.
American Lana Gehring finished third in her heat and didn't qualify for the semifinals.
