USS Names the 2022-23 Short Track Development Skaters of the Year

USS is proud to announce your Long Track Development Skaters of the Year; Michelle Yi and Justin Liu! These skaters were awarded this title based off of their performances during the 2022-23 season. We asked each skater to fill out a questionnaire to get to know more about their speed skating careers, hobbies and so much more! To learn more about Michelle and Justin, read what they had to say below.

Name: Michelle Yi
Age: 16
Club: Potomac Speed Skating Club 
Coach: Simon Cho 

Who inspires you in speed skating?
I mostly look up to Choi Minjung and Kim Gilli as they both have achieved tremendous success in skating and their high achievements in this competitive sport show how dedicated and resilient they are. 
Where will you be in ten years?
Over the next decade, I plan to build a career in the medical field and specialize in either sports medicine or dermatology. 

What other sports do you play?
Since speed skating requires a significant amount of time and effort, I dont participate in other sports. However, I did play a variety of sports when I was younger. 
What are your other hobbies?
I enjoy art in various mediums, especially 3D art. I also used to play the flute for a while. 
How did you get involved in speed skating?
When I lived in Korea I played many sports including soccer, inline skating, and tennis. Unfortunately I got a heatstroke at one of my soccer games and was hospitalized for almost a week. After I got better one of my moms friends suggested ice skating as a cooler alternative to outdoor sports. I enjoyed skating so I started learning as a hobby and when I moved to the states around 2nd or 3rd grade, I joined a club and started competing. 
What would you consider your greatest accomplishment?
My greatest accomplishments would be being atwo-time National Champion and getting recognition as Junior Developement Skater of the year 

What is your favorite subject in school? 
My favorite subjects in school would be engineering and art. I get to explore 3D printing, robotics, and woodworking through hands on projects. I also enjoy ceramics as it is a great break from all my other classes. 

What are your goals for speed skating in the next few years?
Over the next few years one of my biggest goals would be to be part of the junior olympic team and the junior world cup team. These achievements would be a significant milestone in my athletic career and I am fully committed to putting in the effort required. 
What is your favorite exercise during dryland training?
My favorite exercise would be biking. While my club practices involve a significant amount of running, I’ve found that I prefer biking as an alternative to running when I’m working out on my own. 

What’s your favorite post-race snack?
After I finish a race, I prefer fruits or granola bars to keep it light as heavier foods can sometimes make me feel sick. 
Where is your favorite place to race?
Of all the rinks I’ve competed at, Utah is my favorite as it’s comparably a lot faster than any of the other rinks I have skated at. 
Anything else you’d like to share?
I am incredibly grateful for all the support I got from my family, coaches, and friends. Without their encouragement and guidance, I would not be where I am today. I will continue to work hard to pursue my goals in skating and make those who have invested in me proud. 

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Name: Justin Liu
Age: 17
Club: Garden State Speedskating
Coach: Tony Goskowicz and Geng Li
Who inspires you in speed skating?
Viktor Ahn and Wang Meng have been my preeminent inspirations since I began skating. No matter how much I have already seen, I always find myself drawn back to Ahn’s skating for its beauty and his raw ability. A part of me will always want to find similarities and create new ones between us, whether that be skating or otherwise, and that drives me in my training every day. Wang Meng, one of my first coaches ever and the one to whom I owe my approach to the sport, always set the standard in my mind of how a champion should look like. As a little kid, I heard about her insane feats of strength and tenacity and I always strived towards checking each and every one of those off. Through her coaching and the way I saw her interact with others, I was fascinated by how she could be so lively, hot-blooded, and friendly while tirelessly training on her own at an unbelievable level. The goal to adopt that has kept my head up in the lonely moments throughout my skating career.
Where will you be in ten years?
In ten years, I hope to pursue a career in the public policy field, but it is not clear cut yet. I hope to have obtained a high level of achievement in speed skating by then, and create widespread, impactful change for others through my career.
What other sports do you play?
I used to do mixed martial arts and track and field, but now I only play tennis recreationally every week.
What are your other hobbies?
Playing the trombone and piano, weightlifting, writing, and road/mountain biking
How did you get involved in speed skating?
I was introduced to the ice at what felt like the same age that I learned to walk. As a four year old in hockey skates and an oversized helmet, I lived to race around cones in a little outdoor rink during public skating outside the apartment building where I lived. My father used to speed skate recreationally in New York, so I was brought to the club my father used to speed skate at. I immediately found immense pleasure in seeing and feeling how fast it was. After that point, much has changed about the sport to me, but I could never get tired of that feeling of graceful power and speed.
What would you consider your greatest accomplishment?
I would consider winning the Age Group National Championships four times back-to-back, competing at the World Cup at 16, and collecting a bronze medal at the 2023 World Junior Short Track Speedskating Championships my greatest accomplishments thus far.
What is your favorite subject in school?
I enjoy Physics because of its real-world applications of math in core concepts that define everything around us. The more I learn about the subject, the more I understand about the mechanics of the world around me. As well, the subject is constantly evolving and there are fascinating quantum concepts that are being discovered and proven nowadays. I partially owe my curiosity for the subject as well to my family and peers, who have made learning a challenging subject enjoyable.
What are your goals for speed skating in the next few years?
I want to win individual distances at the next two World Junior Championships, medal at the World Cups, and eventually make the 2026 Olympic team.
What is your favorite exercise during dryland training?
In-outs/something dynamic straight into basic body position. I grew up with this type of exercise and have spent a significant amount of my childhood staring at the ground in parks, rinks, and on sidewalks because of it. It starts to burn almost immediately and you can do it just about anywhere. Really trains your pain tolerance and patience when your legs are shaking and coursing with something like hot ice for the 7-8 minute hold.
What’s your favorite post-race snack?
You can never go wrong with a fruit snack pouch. Mott’s preferred.
Where is your favorite place to race?
Salt Lake City, Utah. The ice is fast, the facility is nice, but overall the environment is comfortable because of the people and my prior experience training there.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I could never have gotten this far without the support of my peers, teachers, coaches, my family, and especially my sister Katherine Liu who was an avid competitive speed skater. Linlin Sun, the first head coach of Garden State Speedskating, a mentor of mine both on and off the ice, paved the way for me and I know many others as well to pursue the sport of short track all starting from Garden State. Thank you all for your support and resolute faith in me along the journey despite all the challenges. I will continue to make it count.