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Sammy Smith: Young Athlete Juggles Sports for Olympic Debut

2/7/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Sammy Smith, a 20-year-old athlete, is set to make her Olympic debut in cross-country skiing.
In the past eight months, she balanced her freshman year at Stanford with training for soccer and skiing.
She finished second in a Half Ironman.
She achieved a first-place finish in a national sprint championship.
Her coach Rick Kapala emphasizes her unique approach to sports, allowing her to explore multiple disciplines rather than specializing early.

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Story summary

Sammy Smith, a 20-year-old athlete, is set to make her Olympic debut in cross-country skiing.
In the past eight months, she balanced her freshman year at Stanford with training for soccer and skiing.
She finished second in a Half Ironman.
She achieved a first-place finish in a national sprint championship.
Her coach Rick Kapala emphasizes her unique approach to sports, allowing her to explore multiple disciplines rather than specializing early.