KEARNS — Sarah Chen's favorite place to be is speeding through space.
"I have always loved racing and going fast," said the 15-year-old speed skater who will compete at the Utah Olympic Oval this weekend for a spot on the U.S. World Cup team.
Chen's need for speed isn't confined to skating either. The California native is a two-time national track cycling champion (2007 and 2008).
Speed doesn't scare her; it liberates and motivates her.
"My husband used to take her biking around the neighborhood," said her mom, Julie Chen. "She loved to ride down a hill that was so steep, you couldn't see the end of it. She would just go down not knowing where she was going. We did make her ride back up the hill."
Chen started out playing ice hockey at the age of 7. In fact, she played center for a boys team until last year. Unfortunately, the short sprints necessary in hockey didn't quench her thirst to go fast.
"I don't like waiting," she said.
She watched members of the U.S. National team train at the ice rink near her California home.
"I really looked up to them growing up," she said. "And also watching speed skating in the 2002 Olympics."
So she made a decision last year. Focus on speed skating and school. A straight A student who takes honors classes and is also an accomplished cellist, Chen flies to Utah whenever she has a three-day weekend to train with the National team. When she is in Utah, the training is essentially a full-time job.
"It's pretty grueling," she said.
Chen participated in her first World Cup in China recently and said the veterans were very helpful to her.
"It was an incredible skating experience," she said. "All of the older girls looked out for me."
Her mother travels with her, and in fact, has never missed one of her speed skating competitions. She said she felt the World Cup was more low key than the other competitions, in which Sarah is often trying to qualify.
"You can always find me behind the bleachers," said Julie. "I can never sit through the whole race. My husband is the same way. We get very nervous for her. But she seems to handle it quite well. I think she's enjoying the whole experience."
The Chens are a little perplexed at Chen's athletic ability.
"Neither of us played sports," said her mom. "She's a little different than we expected. We didn't expect her to be quite such an athletic child. But this is something she truly, truly enjoys. And she's had the chance to play a lot of sports. We're amazed she can keep up with school work. We're really proud of her."
Her coaches see a lot of potential in the young skater.
"When training with the Short Track National Team practice this summer, Sarah showed a lot of potential," said U.S. Speed skating National Short Track Team coach Jae Su Chun. "At the Fall World Cup Team Trials in October, she was very strong both mentally and physically and showed great technique. Sarah gained some valuable experience competing in her first World Cup competition with the team in China this month. She will be one to watch as we prepare for Sochi in 2014."
Sarah said she looks forward to testing herself this weekend. But once she laces up the skates, she's really just going to see how quickly she can glide around the ice.
"I love competing, racing," she said, "just going fast in general."
Speedskating World Cup
At Utah Olympic Oval
Thursday: skate-in trial 3 p.m.
Friday: 9-lap and 4-lap time trial, 9 a.m.
Saturday: 1500m qualifying round and final
500m qualifying round and final, 3 p.m.
Sunday: 3000m final relay, 9 a.m.
1000m qualifying rounds and final
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