Warren competes for the USA in speed skating at the Winter Olympics

By Jeff Vorva

Sarah Warren grew up loving two sports.

Soccer and speed skating.

That’s not a combination that usually goes hand-in-hand, and eventually the Willowbrook native and Hinsdale South standout went the soccer route for college and attended the University of Illinois.

While in Champaign, she majored in bioengineering and minored in chemistry.

She also racked up four surgeries to repair two ACL injuries while playing soccer.

It boggles the mind that not only did she return to speed skating in 2019, but she also kept improving to the point that she qualified for the 2026 Olympics in Milan, Italy, in the 500-meter event.

“The journey here was hard, but it was well worth it.”

– Sarah Warren

Though the 29-year-old finished 28th  in the Olympic competition with a 39.19-second showing, the fact that she was able to even qualify was a huge accomplishment.

She was thrilled to get a chance to compete on the highest international stage.

“It means everything,” Warren told NBC after her run. “You get to that (starting) line, and you are an Olympian. You hear your name being called, and you hear everyone cheering, and I have to think I had 40 people in the stands. That’s the village that got me here. They never wavered. Throughout the lows, it was never fun, but they never wavered. They never left, and they pulled me out when I thought I couldn’t do it.”

Warren also reflected on the highs and lows to get to that point.

“The journey here was hard, but it was well worth it,” she said. “I enjoyed every second of it.”

Warren credited soccer with her skating success as well as her resiliency.

“Soccer taught me the value of teammates and how you can use each other to push past your limits, while still wanting everyone to succeed,” Warren told usspedskating.org “My college career had many ups and downs, and two ACL tears and four surgeries were definitely not in my plan when I first stepped foot on the field.”

But she is proud she was able to get through those obstacles.

Hinsdale South grad Sarah Warren was a guest of honor at a Chicago Stars game in March.
Photo courtesy of the National Women’s Soccer League

“Soccer showed me that no matter what life throws at you, it is your job to do everything in your power to not only get back up but be better and stronger than you were before,” she said. “There were no excuses because you saw the adversity many athletes faced every day, and these athletes continued to power through. This determination comes in handy on those hard workouts that nobody wants to do because you remember what you and your teammates overcame, and it puts everything in perspective.”

Warren qualified for the Olympics at trials at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee in early January, and family and friends witnessed her 33.86-second triumph.

Sarah tearfully hugged her mother, Cathy Connelly-Warren, after qualifying.

Growing up, Warren had tasted success in the sport, including winning the U.S. Junior Speed Skating All-Around title in 2012.

In 2014, became the  U.S. Junior champion in the 500-meter event.

After the break from the ice to concentrate on soccer, she was then competing with adults and coming off the surgeries in 2019.

In 2021, she broke through and showed everyone she was going to be a contender as she placed third at the U.S. Championship in the sprint all-around.

As a member of Team USA, she helped the national squad win various medals in international competition, while improving her skills.

Warren, who is the great niece of Chicago Bears president Kevin Warren, put things together for the magical 2026 campaign and the big trip to Italy.

She thanked those who helped her along the way.

“(Saying) thank you is never enough,” she told NBC. “But I got to live out my dream, and it’s all thanks to them.” ν