Rachel Stewart has qualified for the U.S. speed-skating Olympic Trials in September in Marquette, Mich. She's the youngest speed skater thus far to meet trial standards. Rachel Stewart is an overachiever . . . or better yet, an oval achiever.
In just her fourth year on ice, the 16-year-old resident of The Highlands in Chesterfield is approaching the summit of speed skating.
Already, Stewart has qualified for the U.S. speed skating Olympic Trials in September in Marquette, Mich.
"I'm excited; I can't wait," said Stewart, who is home-schooled.
She becomes the youngest speed skater thus far to meet trial standards.
The 2010 Winter Games will be Feb. 12-28 in Vancouver.
"It's a testament to hard work. Plus, she's got a real good motor," said Scott Koons, her coach for the Ice Zone-based Team Virginia.
A convert from roller hockey, Stewart ice skates in circular sprints of 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters.
In a sanctioned meet at Dale City earlier this month, Stewart (then just 15) negotiated the 1,000 in 1:36, about 2 seconds under Olympic Trials qualifying standards.
"She'll need to get down to about 1:30 by trials," Koons said. "That's a lot, but then when you consider how much she's already improved this year - about 4 seconds - she might do it."
In December, the 5-6 Stewart finished second among juniors at the North American Championships in Madison, Wisc.
She attained Category I status by USA Speed Skating, earning the right to wear the USA skin suit throughout her career.
Next up: the U.S. nationals next month in Midland, Mich.
A natural: Stewart took to the ice rink like a mallard to the pond.
"I just always loved watching ice skating and thought I'd try it," she said.
Before lacing up ice skates, she competed in roller hockey with a group of home-schooled children.
"I roller bladed and just about everything - soccer, softball, baseball, swimming . . . even football with the boys in the neighborhood," she said.
Her maiden voyage on ice was at 12. In a blink, she skated her way onto the nationally-prominent Team Virginia squad, directed by Steve Burton.
Stewart trains on the ice five times a week and bike trains three times - adding up to about 20 hours of intense weekly workouts.
"Like a part-time job, but no, it's not too much," she said of the workload. "Skating is still new and fun to me. I don't think it'll ever get old."
Upside: Koons says Stewart is just cracking the seal on her whopping potential. She never has lifted weights and still has some rough edges in technique that need smoothing - areas that can be easily addressed.
The equivalent of a high school sophomore, Stewart suggests college plans will revolve around the progress of the proposed Olympic Training Site in Chesterfield.
Phase 1 of the project includes an ice rink.
"If that's ready, there would be no reason for me to go away to college," she said.
Contact Fred Jeter at (804) 739-2219 or fjeter@timesdispatch.com.
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