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From Carnegie Hall To Pyeongchang, Speedskater Heads To His First Olympic Games

Kimani Griffin celebrates after placing third the Men's 500-meter event during the Long Track Speed Skating Olympic Trials at the Pettit National Ice Center, on Jan. 5 in Milwaukee, Wisc.
Stacy Revere
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Kimani Griffin celebrates after placing third the Men's 500-meter event during the Long Track Speed Skating Olympic Trials at the Pettit National Ice Center, on Jan. 5 in Milwaukee, Wisc.

In just a few weeks, speedskater Kimani Griffin, 27, will join a cast of Olympic first-timers in Pyeongchang. But he's no stranger to the bright lights and big stage — or to public broadcasting.

At age 17, the Winston-Salem, N.C., native was featured on the PBS program, From the Top, when he performed classical guitar at Carnegie Hall. He stepped away from playing music professionally after accepting a full scholarship to college in Georgia. But setting aside his other passion — in-line skating — wasn't as easy.

"I really enjoyed my time (at Columbus State University), but I really missed skating," Griffin says. "I really missed the world of working out and that competitive nature." He thought, "Maybe I'll move to Salt Lake and see if I can go down this path."

Eight years after taking that leap, he's back in his element. Earlier this month, Griffin's third-place finish in the 500-meter race landed him a spot on the eight-man U.S. speedskating team.

From his Brookfield, Wisc., training ground, Kimani Griffin spoke with NPR's Michelle Martin about his journey back to the joy of competitive performance — and how Gucci Mane fits into his routine.

Interview Highlights

On whether qualifying for the Olympics or his Carnegie Hall debut was more nerve-wracking

I think they're about the same. I actually wasn't too nervous or felt under pressure for either one of those experiences. I think in both experiences I was just having fun kind of in my element doing what I do.

On when he shifted his priorities from music to speedskating

Spring and summer of 2008 was kind of a big turning point in my life. I was, at that time, at the top of my game in in-line skating. And with guitar, I had just done an NPR show in Connecticut on the radio; I had just done the Carnegie Hall concert. So I was kind of in a tough spot as far as what I wanted to do in my life, what direction and path I wanted to take. I ended up getting a full-ride (scholarship) to go to school in Georgia, Columbus State University. I really enjoyed my time there, but I really missed skating, I really missed the world of working out and that competitive nature.

I was just kind of like a 19-year-old spur-of-the-moment — maybe I'll move to Salt Lake and see if I can go down this path. Music and sports have been my two outlets in life so luckily when I left school I had another passion to fall back on. I kind of took a risk and — eight years later here I am.

On the joy of speedskating

I guess for the 500 (meters), you have that 34, 35-seconds of — just time essentially stops. You're just in the moment, you can't hear anything, I mean even your coach is screaming at you on the backstretch but you can't even hear him most of the time — at least for me. And I'm just so focused in every little push, every little body angle, every movement that I'm doing to propel myself forward. And then when I cross the line, all of the sudden I hear people screaming and I look at the clock and, hopefully it's a time that I want to see.

NPR's Cara Reedy and Dustin Desoto produced the audio for this story. Emma Bowman adapted it for the Web.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Michel Martin is the weekend host of All Things Considered, where she draws on her deep reporting and interviewing experience to dig in to the week's news. Outside the studio, she has also hosted "Michel Martin: Going There," an ambitious live event series in collaboration with Member Stations.