Kristen Santos-Griswold and Corinne Stoddard, the USA’s biggest hopes for Short Track medals at next February’s Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, are the kind of friends who spend so much time together that they finish each other’s sentences. 

“We room together and we will lie there sending TikToks back and forth, even though we’re right next to each other,” says Santos-Griswold.

“We try not to talk about skating,” adds Stoddard. “We distract each other, we shop, eat, make videos. It’s better than sitting alone in a room thinking about Short Track.”

The duo are serious contenders. Santos-Griswold won last season’s ISU Crystal Globe, putting in impressive performances across the distances. She’s had a more patchy 2025/26, after a summer disrupted by injury, but knows that peaking for February is the real goal. 

“It’s been a rollercoaster,” she says of her recent skates. “A slow start was not ideal. I feel like it took a while to get in the swing of things. But I’ve used the World Tours to figure out how I want to race, rather than solely focus on the outcome. It’s been to prepare myself as well as possible for the Games.”

Stoddard has been a revelation over the last two seasons. She finished third overall in 2024/25, and improved to a ranking of second this term. At four ISU Short Track World Tour events, she made all 12 individual A finals, picking up four silver and four bronze medals. 

“I’m trying not to overthink it,” says the Seattle-born racer. “At end of the day, anything can happen. I haven’t missed out on a final, and that is promising. I’ve also got a medal in every distance, that is also promising. Obviously, I want a gold but I think I’m in a good spot for February.”

‘I was terrified of her’

The pair are each other’s biggest cheerleaders. 

“Just watching Kristen skate, she builds such natural speed, she leans the most out of anyone on the circuit. The technique she does in the corner is amazing,” says Stoddard. “I was in awe at first. I’ve been watching her for years, seeing if I could do it too, but we both skate so differently. I had to make my own technique work for me.

“Kristen can get pushed to the back but then just move up on the outside, like it is nothing. I think, ‘I want to be like that too’.”

Santos-Griswold is quick to repay the compliment. “Now, I’m in awe of her,” she says. “She is one of the hardest workers I know. And she is such a racer, she has that drive, motivation and natural instinct in races. She’s really good at staying level-headed, and she’s fun to watch.”

Kristen Santos-Griswold (USA) looks on during the ISU Short Track World Tour in Gdansk, Poland © ISU

The pair met at the 2018 Olympic trials. “I was terrified of her,” admits Stoddard. “She was so cool. She had a cast on her hand and made her boyfriend tie her skates.”

“Let’s clarify,” says Santos-Griswold with a laugh. “I wasn’t making him tie my skates like I was too good to tie them. My hand had just gone through surgery. I remember asking how to pronounce her name. She was still afraid. I had to show her who was boss.”

They became fast friends. For Santos-Griswold, it was a relief to have another elite USA racer around. “There was a time where I was the only one out there, but being there with her is more fun and exciting,” she says. 

“We’re really lucky because we’re so close as teammates and friends, and we push each other every day. We share moments, we share relay medals.

“So even when you’re on the podium by yourself, your whole team is out there with you. We wouldn’t be as good without each other – and with the USA boys, who we try to chase down to improve, too.” 

The USA's Corinne Stoddard (left) on her way to taking 1000m silver behind eventual gold medalist Kristen Santos-Griswold at the 2024/25 ISU Short Track World Tour #6 in Milan, Italy © ISU

USA revival

Short Track has been dominated for a long time by the Republic of Korea, and – for the last couple of seasons – by the team north of the border for the pair, the Canadian Ice Maples. Does having USA on your back add pressure? 

“Honestly, maybe it takes off a little bit of pressure,” thinks Santos-Griswold. “We haven’t done too much at the Games in a while, so anything we can do will be that much more impressive. We want to defy those odds.”

Stoddard adds: “It’s been a while since we had a woman on the podium. My main goal is for Kristen and I to go one-two. Having each other out there makes it special. To be best friends and take gold and silver, to walk away from the Games as satisfied as possible – I’m excited for that to happen.”

The pair can actively help each other on the ice. “In a race together, it’s someone you know isn’t going to be fighting you,” says Santos-Griswold. “That can be calming. It’s one less person against you. Both of us obviously want to win, but we also want each other to win.”

Corinne Stoddard (USA) in action at the ISU Short Track World Tour in Dordrecht, Netherlands © ISU

Milano Cortina 2026 will be something different for the pair. “I was in Beijing (2022), but Milan will be kind of like a first Olympic experience, in terms of the crowd and having family and friends there,” says Stoddard. “Compared to Beijing, where you could hear the coaches screaming, I’m excited to have an audience, and feel like the world is watching.”

Santos-Griswold agrees. “In a way we were lucky to experience Beijing. It was so different – we all leaned on each other for support. But having fans around will be great.” 

Having been to the Games before will also help them stay calm. “It’s very different, Short Track at a Games,” says Santos-Griswold. “We race every other day. We are used to peaking for three or four days in a row, not a two-week period. So there are ups and downs to manage. It’s about staying calm through two weeks.”

The pair’s joint Instagram account – @fastbutunstable – helps with that, and nods towards their previous confidence battles. 

“We decided to make it because we’re two of the best skaters in the world, and we thought we could do something fun,” says Santos-Griswold. “We did a play on words, fast but unstable. You can crash on the ice, but there are also a lot of mental aspects with this sport. We can make a little video after a hard practice and that can get us out of a headspace.” 

Then it’s back to the hotel – to watch The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, and Glee – and to send each other daft TikToks.

“It keeps things light-hearted,” says Santos-Griswold. It could just be a recipe for Olympic glory, too.