Olympic Speed Skater Kristen Santos-Griswold Falls Short Again

Four years of training, over in 90 seconds, as Santos-Griswold misses out on medal in 1000m short-track event

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Kristen Santos-Griswold, one of the world's best short-track speed skaters, narrowly missed out on a medal in the 1000m event at the Milan Olympics, finishing third in her quarterfinal heat and failing to advance. This marks the second straight Olympics where Santos-Griswold has come agonizingly close to a medal, having led the 1000m race in Beijing 2022 before being taken out on the final lap and finishing fourth.

Why it matters

Short-track speed skating is one of the most thrilling and unpredictable events in the Winter Olympics, with skaters racing at high speeds in close quarters and collisions a constant threat. Santos-Griswold's story highlights the cruel reality that even the best athletes can have their dreams dashed in a matter of seconds due to the inherent risks and randomness of the sport.

The details

In the 1000m quarterfinal, Santos-Griswold took an early lead but was quickly caught by her pursuers. She finished third, just 0.34 seconds behind the second-place finisher, and her time was not fast enough to qualify as one of the fastest third-place finishers. This marks the second straight Olympics where Santos-Griswold has narrowly missed out on a medal, after leading the 1000m race in Beijing 2022 before being taken out on the final lap and finishing fourth.

  • Santos-Griswold led the 1000m race in Beijing 2022 before being taken out on the final lap and finishing fourth.
  • On Monday, February 16, 2026, Santos-Griswold competed in the 1000m quarterfinal at the Milan Olympics.

The players

Kristen Santos-Griswold

One of the world's best short-track speed skaters who has narrowly missed out on Olympic medals in the past two Games.

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What they’re saying

“The hardest part about this sport is that kind of concept of, you can be the best, you can be the fastest, and things just don't work out for you.”

— Kristen Santos-Griswold (Yahoo Sports)

“I had to really sit there and think, if in four years the same thing happens again, would that be worth it? Obviously, I'm here. So I did decide that it would be.”

— Kristen Santos-Griswold (Yahoo Sports)

“I just expected it to start a bit faster, and that I was going to sit in second or something. Then when it didn't, it's like, Alright, I've got to make a move and kind of pick it up a bit.”

— Kristen Santos-Griswold (Yahoo Sports)

What’s next

Santos-Griswold has one individual race, the 1500m, remaining in her Milan Olympics and likely her Olympic career as a whole. She plans to talk to her coaches about a different strategy to try to capitalize on that final event.

The takeaway

Santos-Griswold's story is a poignant reminder of the cruel reality of short-track speed skating, where even the best athletes can see their Olympic dreams dashed in a matter of seconds due to the inherent risks and randomness of the sport. Her perseverance in the face of heartbreak, however, is an inspiration to athletes and fans alike.