[quote]By Drew Danko
Photos courtesy of Brandon Molenda[/quote]
Brandon is a three-time national champion in speed skating. In January 2015, he won the 500-meter sprint, which made him the number one junior speed skater in the U.S.
When did you start speed skating?
I started when I was three. I played hockey for a few months, then my mom found Glen Ellyn Speed Skating. I tried that out, liked it, and decided to stick with it.
Why did you choose speed skating over hockey?
I like how fast you go. I like the speed of it and seeing guys on TV and how fast they go.
What are you currently training for?
This coming weekend, I have the junior world trials. They pick the top five guys and girls from the US, and this year we will be travelling to China to compete against about 20 other countries. It’s not just the junior trials, it’s also the senior trials, so all the Olympians have come to Milwaukee to train. I trained with them, which was pretty fun.
How does it feel being one of the top five junior speed skaters in the country?
It feels good. It feels like all my hard work has been paying off. Last year, I made the junior world team and we went to Poland to compete. We placed halfway through the rankings.
What have you been doing to train for the junior world trials this weekend?
I go to Wisconsin to train three to four times a week. On other days, I go to short-track training in Park Ridge. I’m training six days a week.
What does it mean to you to be such an accomplished skater?
It’s really cool. The kids look up to you at competitions, and they get really excited when you coach or help them out.
What is your favorite thing about travelling for competitions?
Meeting all the other teams from other countries, seeing how they skate, and just getting to know them. We usually get to the trials about a week and a half early, and we’re obviously training, but it’s also having a good time with the other skaters we meet.
Have you ever met a skater who has become an inspiration to you?
Shani Davis, I was on the “Steve Harvey Show” for him once, and he’s been skating with me since I was three or four. Whenever he’s here, he lets me skate and hang out with him. He started doing in-line rollerblading and switched to ice, and people would tell him he wasn’t good enough to be an Olympian. However, he’s gone out and won gold and broken records.
Do you want to go to the Olympics in 2018?
During sophomore year, I qualified for the Olympic trials. Going in, I knew I was the youngest one there and I didn’t think I would make the team, but I did it for the experience. Racing with the cameras on you and with the crowd is really different than racing here. Yes, I do want to go. My main goal for skating is to become an Olympian one day.