(NEXSTAR) - At just three and a half years old, Starr Andrews discovered her passion for skating and has since grown into a medal contender and an inspiration for others in the sport. She says she "came out of the womb" skating, but didn't always feel like she fit in. Andrews recalls a pivotal moment when she attended nationals at age 12, where the realization of her unique position as a Black athlete in a predominantly white sport became evident. "So that really opened my eyes like a lot," she said. "I felt just a little lonely and I feel like I stuck out like a sore thumb," she shared. However, she shifted her perspective, recognizing the opportunity to pave the way for future generations of Black figure skaters. "We just need to get the word out there that it is for everybody, because I feel like it's very intimidating walking into a rink and you're black and you're the only black one in there, you're gonna feel on the outs." Her remarkable achievement at the US Championships, where she became the first Black woman to medal in 35 years, filled Andrews with pride. "That was crazy when I heard that, I didn't even know that," she said, emphasizing the significance of the moment not just for herself, but for Black representation in the sport. In addition to her focus on performance, Andrews emphasizes the importance of authenticity in her skating journey. "It's a tough world out there and it's hard to always be yourself knowing that you're being judged all the time. So I do want part of my legacy to just be about staying true to myself and being a hard worker and resilient and just pushing through all the tough and the good times," she expressed. Looking ahead to the upcoming year, Andrews aims to continue pushing the boundaries of her performance by incorporating more challenging elements into her routines. She remains focused on staying consistent in her training, prepared to navigate the pressures of competition. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by Nexstar. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by Nexstar staff before being published