Kristen Santos-Griswold

Quick Facts

• Daughter of Donna Lula Soukup and Rick Santos
• Started speedskating at age nine in part due to a commercial on Disney Channel
• Hobbies: Crafts and DIY projects
• Enjoys spending time with her two dogs, Bear and Koda

Biographical Information

Growing up in Fairfield, Connecticut, Kristen Santos-Griswold started figure skating at the age of three, but when she saw a speedskating commercial on the Disney Channel at age nine she instantly wanted to try the sport. Her mom took her to a club at Yale, and Kristen instantly fell in love with speedskating.

Santos-Griswold made her Olympic debut at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. Santos-Griswold was in bronze medal position with two laps to go in 1,000-meter, when a bump by an opponent, later ruled a penalty, caused her to fall and finish fourth. Santos-Griswold, contemplated retirement after Beiing but decided to come back for another Olympic cycle. At the 2024 ISU Short Track World Championships, Kristen Santos-Griswold would become the first American short track speedskater to win medals at all three individual distances (500-meter, 1,000-meter, 1,500-meter) at one worlds since it became an Olympic sport in 1992. She would finish the next season winning her first Crystal Globe (given the overall best skater in short track) and become the third American to finish a short track season ranked No. 1 overall.

She plans to be a physical therapist when her skating career is over and is currently working on her doctorate.

Olympic Experience

• 1-time Olympian
  • Olympic Games Beijing 2022, 4th (1000m - Women), 8th (2000m Relay - Mixed, 3000m Relay - Women), 9th (1500m - Women), 17th (500m - Women)

World Championships Experience

• Most recent: 2025 – 7th (2000m Relay - Mixed), 20th (1500m - Women, 500m - Women), 22th (1000m - Women)
• Years of participation: 1000m - Women 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025; 1500m - Women 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025; 2000m Relay - Mixed 2023, 2024, 2025; 500m - Women 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025; 3000m Relay - Women 2021, 2023, 2024; Overall - Women 2019, 2021
• Medals: 5 (1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze)
  • Gold – 2024 (1000m - Women)
  • Silver – 2024 (1500m - Women, 3000m Relay - Women)
  • Bronze – 2024 (2000m Relay - Mixed, 500m - Women)