Ridge HS Senior, Speed Skater To Compete In 2024 World Junior Championship

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Ridge High School senior, Justin Liu, emerged as the U.S. Junior Champion of U.S. short track speedskating at the Utah Olympic Oval in Salt Lake City, Utah earlier this month.

Liu claimed victory in all three distances — 500m, 1000m, and 1500m.

He will now go on to lead the U.S. Junior World Team in Heerenveen, Netherlands, and Gdansk, Poland in the coming month.

Liu also secured 4th overall in the combined field of junior and senior skaters, earning him a spot on the U.S. Senior World Cup Team.

This accomplishment was no small feat for Liu, considering his status as one of the youngest competitors in the senior category.

Juggling the demands of high school and full-time training, he dedicated the entire summer, from June to August, to rigorous preparation and training in Utah, ensuring he was in peak condition for competition.

Returning to the Junior World Championship stage, Liu aspires to leave his mark once again after a successful previous season, shooting for an individual Junior World Championships title.

In the 2022-23 season, he and the U.S. Junior World Team secured a bronze medal in the men's 3000m relay in Dresden, Germany. Individually, Justin achieved a Top 10 finish in the 1000m. Read More: Ridge Junior Wins Bronze At World Junior Short Track Speed Skating

Approaching the upcoming Junior World Championships, Liu aims to improve his standings and contribute to Team USA's continued success. The ISU Short Track Junior World Cup and Junior World Championships are scheduled for Feb. 17 and 18 and Feb. 22 through 25.