Tennessee 9-year-old setting national speed-skating records
DIMA AMRO, Memphis Commercial Appeal
July 10, 2021
FacebookTwitterEmail
ARLINGTON, Tenn. (AP) Skating came almost naturally for Arlington 9-year-old Piper Alberson when she first put on roller skates about two years ago.
Now, she has four speed-skating national records, six gold medals and a “dream sponsorship.”
“I feel great, like in a dream,” said Piper, a rising fifth-grader at Donelson Elementary in Arlington.
She said nothing else matters when she skates. “You can’t really hear anybody cheering for you. It’s like you can’t hear anything. Your brain’s talking to you and telling you what to do.”
Now, she has four speed-skating national records, six gold medals and a dream sponsorship. I feel great, like in a dream, said Piper, a rising fifth-grader at Donelson Elementary in Arlington.
She said nothing else matters when she skates. You can t really hear anybody cheering for you. It s like you can t hear anything. Your brain s talking to you and telling you what to do.
Piper competed at the U.S. Roller Speed Skating American Championships in Colorado Springs in mid-June and walked away holding national records for the 100-, 500- and 700-meter races for rookie girls 6-9 years old and the 700-meter for elite girls 8-9 years old.