Olympians

Born: August 11, 1980 in Reading, Pennsylvania
Affiliations: Penn State Nittany Lions, University Park
Medals: 1 Bronze

Birthdate:  August 13, 1979

Birthplace: West Allis, Wisconsin

Current Residence: Park City, Utah

Career Highlights

Olympic

2002: Olympic Games, Salt Lake City, 6th 1,500m; 6th 1,000m

2010: Olympic Games, Vancouver, 7th 1000m

International

2002-03: World Cup Overall Standings, 6th 1,000m

                World Single Distance Championships, 5th 1,000m

2001-02: World Sprint Championships, 9th 1,000m

2000-01: World Single Distance Championships, 17th 1,000m

                World Cup Overall Standings, 13th 1,000m

1999-00: World Sprint Championships, 13th 1,000m

                World Single Distance Championships, 14th 1,000m

National 

2003-04: U.S. Sprint Championships, 3rd Overall

2002-03: U.S. Sprint Championships, 2nd Overall

2001-02: U.S. Sprint Championships, 3rd Overall

2000-01: U.S. Sprint Championships, 3rd Overall 

1999-00: U.S. Allround Championships, 4th Overall

                U.S. Sprint Championships, 1st Overall

Teams:

1997- 2010 U.S. National Team

2002, 2010 Olympian

Nick started speed skating at five years old when his father took him to the Wisconsin Olympic Rink in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Nick’s father grew up skating on frozen, flooded baseball fields and ponds in West Allis, Wisconsin.  He instilled a passion for skating in his son and young Nick quickly gravitated to the sport.  Whether it was driving Nick all over the Midwest to competitions or just providing moral support, Nick credits a majority of his success to his parents, who are his number one fans.

Nick always dreamed of skating in the Olympics.  In 1998, just before the Olympic Trials for the Nagano Games, Nick was diagnosed with mononucleosis.  He was unsuccessful at qualifying and his Olympic dream was postponed for four years.   In 2002, a healthy and determined Nick made the U.S. Olympic Team and competed in the Salt Lake Games placing sixth in both the 1500m and 1000m races, finishing just a few tenths of a second off the medal winning pace in both races. Nick was determined to return to the games in 2006, and stake his place on the podium. Unfortunately, the 2006 season was one that would make Nick take a step back from the sport. He missed qualifying for the Olympic team, and knew he must evaluate what he was doing wrong and make the necessary changes. He was determined to use the disappointing season as inspiration for the future.

“After achieving my life long goal of skating in the Olympics in 2002 and being just out of the medals, I now know I can go and have a chance of winning Olympic gold.  I was given everything I need to become the best in the world and now it’s all up to me,” said Nick.

Following the 2010 Olympics Nick retired from the sport of speedskating as an athlete and now works for US Speedskating as the High Performance Programs Manager.  “For the past 25 plus years, this sport has given me and my family so much.  It is my turn to do what I can to give back to the sport.”

Born: June 20, 1980 in Nashville, TN

Affiliations: WASSC, West Allis

Personal Bests: 500 – 40.51 (2006); 1000 – 1:18.11 (2007); 1500 – 1:57.34 (2006); 3000 – 4:01.98 (2006); 5000 – 6:56.92 (2006).

Born: August 15, 1984 in Tallahassee, FL

Affiliations: United States Olympic Education Center (USOEC), Michigan

Born: March 21, 1974 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Born: September 29, 1979 in Charlotte, NC

Born: April 17, 1977 in Houston, Texas, United States
Medals: 1 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze

Chad Hedrick started out as an inline skater, and was one of the greatest US roller speed skaters ever, winning 50 World Championships, 93 US Championships, and setting multiple world records. He revolutionized inline speed skating with his technique of a double-push, called the DP, which is now standard at world-class levels. After watching fellow inline skater Derek Parra win two medals at the 2002 Winter Olympics, Hedrick decided to switch to ice speed skating. After only four months on ice, Hedrick placed fifth in the 5,000 at the 2003 World Single Distance Championship, and after only two years of skating, he won the World Allround title in 2004 with a world record samalog of 150.478, and was awarded the Oscar Mathisen Statuette for 2004, given to the top speed skater performace in the world for the year.

Between then and the Torino Olympics, Hedrick established himself among the best long-distance skaters in the world, setting world records in the 1,500, 5,000, and 10K in November-December 2005. He entered the 2006 Winter Olympics with chances to win medals in all three events as well as the new team pursuit, and Hedrick predicted he would equal Eric Heiden's five gold medals, adding the 1,000. The Torino Olympics started out well for Hedrick, as he won the 5,000 metres, but he won no further gold medals, although he did win a bronze in the 1,500 and silver in the 10K. But in the team pursuit, Hedrick and teammate Shani Davis got into a controversy when Davis elected not to compete, stating that it would interfere with his own best event, the 1,000, in which he would win the gold medal. Without Davis, the US pursuit team struggled and placed only sixth. Hedrick continues to speed skate internationally, but not quite as successfully, placing fourth at the 2008 World Allround. He was the leader on the Adelskalender from November 2005 thru March 2007.

Personal Bests: 500 – 35.58 (2006); 1000 – 1:08.23 (2005); 1500 – 1:42.78 (2006); 3000 – 3:39.02 (2005); 5000 – 6:09.68 (2005); 10000 – 12:55.11 (2005); Allround Samalog – 148.799 (2006).

Born: May 22, 1982 in Seattle, Washington, United States 

Affiliations: UCCS Mountain Lions, Colorado Springs
Medals: 2 Gold, 2 Silver, 4 Bronze

Born to a Japanese father and an American mother, Apolo Anton Ohno had a troublesome youth, but his parents used his skating talent to straighten him out. After winning the 1999 World Junior title, Ohno soon rose to the international top, winning the 2001 1500 m World title. A crowd favourite at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, he won two medals, both of them after eventful races. His 1500 m gold was gained after the controversial disqualification of Kim Dong-Seong for cross-tracking. In the 1000 m, four out of five finalists fell in the final lap, allowing Steven Bradbury to win. Ohno managed to quickly crawl over the finish line to win the silver. Four years later, Ohno won three more Olympic medals, including the title in the 500 m. In 2008, he won the overall world title, after having won five distance titles earlier in his career. Ohno also won the World Cup three times (2001, 2003, 2005).

Born: April 30, 1979 in Kalamazoo, Michigan
Affiliations: WASSC, West Allis 

Medals: 1 Bronze 

Kip Carpenter started out as a short-track skater, but switched to long-track in 1998. By the 1999 season he had already moved into the world's elite speed skating sprinters, winning bronzes in the 500 and 1,000 at the World Single Distance Championships. During his career he won 10 medals at the World Single Distance Championships, all in the 500 and 1,000, including golds in the 1,000 in both 2000 and 2006. Carpenter was known for his form and speed on turns, a remnant of his days in short-track. More than just a pure sprinter, he won the 2000 US Allround title. He retired after the 2008 season and coaches an elite speed skating club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Personal Bests: 500 – 34.67 (2002) / 1:09.47 (2002); 1000 – 1:07.89 (2002); 1500 – 1:50.48 (2007); 3000 – 4:55.29 (1994); Sprint Combination – 139.025 (2006).

Born: August 27, 1979 in Sunset Beach, California


Affiliations: Southern California Speedskating Association 

Medals: 2 Bronze

Rusty Smith has competed at three Winter Olympic Games, with bronze medals in the 500 in 2002 and in the relay in 2006. He continues to compete and is on the US Short-Track Team, with an eye to make the Olympic team for Vancouver in 2010. At the 2002 US Olympic Trials, Smith was involved in the controversial final 1,000 metre race. Smith and teammates Apollo Anton Ohno had already qualified for the team. Their friend, Shani Davis, had not and needed to win the race to make the Olympic team. Davis did win the race, but other skaters, notably Tommy O’Hare, claimed that Ohno and Smith set this up for Davis. They were fully exonerated and Smith sued O’Hare for defamation of character, although it went nowhere. Davis made the Olympic team but then withdrew to compete in the World Long-Track Junior Championships.

Personal Bests: 500 – 41.556 (2004); 1,000 – 1:24.938 (2004); 1,500 – 2:13.893 (2001); 3,000 – 4:57.700 (2003).

Born: June 8, 1976 in Miami, Florida, United States 

Affiliations: Miami / Carroll College, Waukesha, WI
Medals: 2 Bronze

Jennifer Rodriguez started out as an artistic roller skater, and then switched to inline speed skating, winning three titles at the 1993 World Championships. In 1996, she switched to speed skating in an attempt to make the US Olympic Team, and has since made three US Olympic teams – 1998, 2002, 2006. She was the first US Winter Olympian of Hispanic descent, as Rodriguez is Cuban-American, the daughter of a Cuban immigrant father and an American mother. She started out as an all-round skater but later in her career, was primarily a sprinter, and won the 2005 World Sprint Championships, after winning a bronze in the event in 2004. At the World Single Distance Championships, she won four medals from 2003-05, a silver in the 1,000 in 2003, and bronzes in the 1,500 in 2003-05. As a measure of her range, in 2003 she placed fifth in both the World Allround and Sprint Championships. Rodriguez was married for a time to American speed skater KC Boutiette, who also started out as an inline skater and encouraged her to make the change as well.

Personal Bests: 500 – 37.87 (2005); 1000 – 1:14.05 (2003); 1500 – 1:54.61 (2005); 3000 – 4:04.99 (2002); 5000 – 7:07.93 (2001); Sprint Combination – 150.015 (2005); Allround Samalog – 163.735 (2002).

Born: March 15, 1970 in San Bernardino, California
Affiliations: Greenfield 

Medals: 1 Gold, 1 Silver

Derek Parra was a Mexican-American speed skater who started out as an inline speed skater, but followed the lead of KC Boutiette and Jen Rodriguez and switched to speed skating. On roller skates, Parra was a two-time World Champion and won three US Championships. As a speed skater he has two silver medals from World Championships, a silver in the 1,500 at the Single Distance Championships in 2001, and silver in the 1,500 at the 2002 World Allrounds. He was also third overall at the 2002 World Allrounds, his best year, as he won his Olympic gold medal in the 1,500 and silver in the 5,000 at Salt Lake City. Parra continued to compete thru the 2006 Winter Olympics but with less success, and retired after the Torino Games. He is now the US national all-round speed skating coach.

Personal Bests: 500 – 35.88 (2001); 1000 – 1:08.87 (2003); 1500 – 1:43.95 (2002); 3000 – 3:46.14 (2002); 5000 – 6:17.98 (2002); 10000 – 13:33.44 (2002); Sprint Combination – 142.685 (2006); Allround Samalog – 153.661 (2002).

Born: June 23, 1975 in West Allis, WI 

Affiliations: WASSC, West Allis 
Medals: 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze 

Chris Witty has competed at the top levels in both cycling and speed skating. Internationally she competed at the World Junior Championships in speed skating from 1991-94, with little success, placing sixth overall in 1994. Primarily a sprinter, she competed at the World Sprint Championships for the first time in 1994, and in 1996 broke thru to win the World title. In 1998 she won the 1,000 metre gold medal at the World Single Distance Championship. Her 2002 Olympic gold medal in the 1,000, however, in world record time, was a shock as she had had to cut back on her training. This was her fourth world record in the 1,000, in addition to two junior world records she had set, one in the 1,000, and one in the sprint. In 2000 Witty qualified for the Olympic team in cycling, where she placed fifth in the 500 metre time trial. She was chosen by her teammates to carry the US flag at the opening ceremony in Torino in 2006. Shortly before those Olympics, Witty revealed that she had experienced childhood abuse from a trusted neighbor for several years, beginning as a young child, keeping the secret for years, and the trauma of revealing this had affected her training prior to the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.

Personal Bests: 500 – 38.36 (2002); 1000 – 1:13.83 (2002); 1500 – 1:55.71 (2002); 3000 – 4:22.57 (1998); 5000 – 7:38.20 (1998); Allround Samalog – 168.851 (1998); Sprint Combination – 152.905 (1999).

Born in Cleveland, Ohio

Born: February 4, 1981 in Boston, Massachusetts 
Affiliations: BSSC

Born: August 30, 1978 in Saint Paul, MN

Affiliations: Midway SC, Saint Paul

Personal Bests: 500 – 39.69 (2002); 1000 – 1:18.31 (2002); 1500 – 1:59.50 (2002); 3000 – 4:14.73 (2001); 5000 – 7:35.23 (2002).

Born: September 22, 1975 (Age 36) in Shoreview, MI

Affiliations: Midway SC, Saint Paul (USA)

Born: April 30, 1979 in Kalamazoo, Michigan
Affiliations: WASSC, West Allis 

Medals: 1 Bronze 

Kip Carpenter started out as a short-track skater, but switched to long-track in 1998. By the 1999 season he had already moved into the world's elite speed skating sprinters, winning bronzes in the 500 and 1,000 at the World Single Distance Championships. During his career he won 10 medals at the World Single Distance Championships, all in the 500 and 1,000, including golds in the 1,000 in both 2000 and 2006. Carpenter was known for his form and speed on turns, a remnant of his days in short-track. More than just a pure sprinter, he won the 2000 US Allround title. He retired after the 2008 season and coaches an elite speed skating club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Personal Bests: 500 – 34.67 (2002) / 1:09.47 (2002); 1000 – 1:07.89 (2002); 1500 – 1:50.48 (2007); 3000 – 4:55.29 (1994); Sprint Combination – 139.025 (2006).

Born: September 24, 1980 in Natick, MA
Affiliations: BSSC

Born: August 27, 1979 in Sunset Beach, California


Affiliations: Southern California Speedskating Association 

Medals: 2 Bronze

Rusty Smith has competed at three Winter Olympic Games, with bronze medals in the 500 in 2002 and in the relay in 2006. He continues to compete and is on the US Short-Track Team, with an eye to make the Olympic team for Vancouver in 2010. At the 2002 US Olympic Trials, Smith was involved in the controversial final 1,000 metre race. Smith and teammates Apollo Anton Ohno had already qualified for the team. Their friend, Shani Davis, had not and needed to win the race to make the Olympic team. Davis did win the race, but other skaters, notably Tommy O’Hare, claimed that Ohno and Smith set this up for Davis. They were fully exonerated and Smith sued O’Hare for defamation of character, although it went nowhere. Davis made the Olympic team but then withdrew to compete in the World Long-Track Junior Championships.

Personal Bests: 500 – 41.556 (2004); 1,000 – 1:24.938 (2004); 1,500 – 2:13.893 (2001); 3,000 – 4:57.700 (2003).

Born: June 8, 1976 in Miami, Florida, United States 

Affiliations: Miami / Carroll College, Waukesha, WI
Medals: 2 Bronze

Jennifer Rodriguez started out as an artistic roller skater, and then switched to inline speed skating, winning three titles at the 1993 World Championships. In 1996, she switched to speed skating in an attempt to make the US Olympic Team, and has since made three US Olympic teams – 1998, 2002, 2006. She was the first US Winter Olympian of Hispanic descent, as Rodriguez is Cuban-American, the daughter of a Cuban immigrant father and an American mother. She started out as an all-round skater but later in her career, was primarily a sprinter, and won the 2005 World Sprint Championships, after winning a bronze in the event in 2004. At the World Single Distance Championships, she won four medals from 2003-05, a silver in the 1,000 in 2003, and bronzes in the 1,500 in 2003-05. As a measure of her range, in 2003 she placed fifth in both the World Allround and Sprint Championships. Rodriguez was married for a time to American speed skater KC Boutiette, who also started out as an inline skater and encouraged her to make the change as well.

Personal Bests: 500 – 37.87 (2005); 1000 – 1:14.05 (2003); 1500 – 1:54.61 (2005); 3000 – 4:04.99 (2002); 5000 – 7:07.93 (2001); Sprint Combination – 150.015 (2005); Allround Samalog – 163.735 (2002).

Born: September 16, 1967 in Chelmsford, MA


Affiliations: Chelmsford

Personal Bests: 500 – 34.89 (2002); 1000 – 1:12.68 (1999); 1500 – 2:01.47 (1998).

Born: January 21, 1975 in Madison, WI
Affiliations: Verona 

Medals: 1 Gold

Casey FitzRandolph had his first big international success in 1997 when he won two 1000 m World Cup races in Calgary and skated the second fastest 1,000 m ever. Although he hoped to medal at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, he had problems with the clap skates, and placed sixth and seventh in the 500 and 1,000, respectively. While he was a top sprinter on the World Cup circuit in the next few years, with several podium placements, he had no other World Cup wins coming into Salt Lake City, and was not favored. But he was helped in the 500 when Canadian favorite Jeremy Wotherspoon fell in the first race. FitzRandolph led after the first day with the second fastest 500 ever, 34.42, and hung on to narrowly defeat Hiroyasu Shimizu of Japan. FitzRandolph's two best finishes at the World Sprint Championships were second in 2002 and third in 1997, and he won a bronze in the 500 at the 2001 World Single Distance Championships.

Personal Bests: 500 – 34.42 (2002)/1:09.23 (2002); 1000 – 1:08.06 (2002); 1500 – 1:46.31 (2006); 3000 – 4:04.25 (2000); 5000 – 6:59.38 (2000); Sprint Combination – 138.770 (2005).

Born: November 29, 1971 in Maplewood, Minnesota

Affiliations: Saratoga Winter Club, Saratoga Springs / Midway SC, Saint Paul

Medals: 1 Silver, 2 Bronze 

Amy Peterson competed in five Winter Olympics Games, including 1988 when short-track was only a demonstration sport, winning three medals, and was honored by carrying the US flag at the 2002 Opening Ceremony. In 1989 Peterson won the 1,000 and 1,500 at the US Olympic Festival, placing third in the 500. After the 1994 Winter Olympics she developed chronic fatigue syndrome, which affected her training, but she still made the 1998 US team. She recovered nicely, winning all four distances at the 2000 US Short-Track Championships, and in 2001 she won her eighth overall US Championship. Peterson retired after the 2002 Winter Olympics, graduating from St. Paul’s Concordia University, and began coaching. She made a brief comeback in 2004-05, but failed to make the 2006 US Winter Olympic Team. Her uncle, Gene Sandvig, competed in long-track speed skating for the United States at the 1952 and 1956 Winter Olympics.

Born: February 4, 1981 in Boston, Massachusetts 
Affiliations: BSSC

Born: September 24, 1980 in Natick, MA
Affiliations: BSSC

Born: September 18, 1977 in Dover Township, NJ

Born: April 10, 1962 in Rochester, NY

Medals: 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze 

Cathy Turner began her speed skating career in the 1970s, winning the 1979 U.S. short-track title. But she retired in 1980 to pursue a singing and songwriting career. She was a bar singer in Las Vegas, under the name Nikki Newland. Inspired by the 1988 short-track demonstration events at Calgary, and trying to overcome clinical depression, when short-track speed skating became an Olympic sport in 1992, she came out of retirement and won the only individual event on the program, the 500 metres. She defended that title in 1994 at Lillehammer, and added relay medals (silver in 1992 and bronze in 1994) to give her four short-track medals in all. She was one of the few speed skaters to appear in Ice Capades, which she did in 1992, skating and singing. She also appeared on television as one of the American Gladiators.

Born: April 11, 1976 in Cleveland, OH

Born: February 3, 1977 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States 
Affiliations: Midway SC, Saint Paul

Personal Bests: 500 – 38.61 (2006); 1000 – 1:15.09 (2002); 1500 – 1:55.59 (2002); 3000 – 4:20.81 (2002); 5000 – 8:12.60 (1997).

Born: June 20, 1980 in Nashville, TN

Affiliations: WASSC, West Allis

Personal Bests: 500 – 40.51 (2006); 1000 – 1:18.11 (2007); 1500 – 1:57.34 (2006); 3000 – 4:01.98 (2006); 5000 – 6:56.92 (2006).

Born: March 15, 1970 in San Bernardino, California
Affiliations: Greenfield 

Medals: 1 Gold, 1 Silver

Derek Parra was a Mexican-American speed skater who started out as an inline speed skater, but followed the lead of KC Boutiette and Jen Rodriguez and switched to speed skating. On roller skates, Parra was a two-time World Champion and won three US Championships. As a speed skater he has two silver medals from World Championships, a silver in the 1,500 at the Single Distance Championships in 2001, and silver in the 1,500 at the 2002 World Allrounds. He was also third overall at the 2002 World Allrounds, his best year, as he won his Olympic gold medal in the 1,500 and silver in the 5,000 at Salt Lake City. Parra continued to compete thru the 2006 Winter Olympics but with less success, and retired after the Torino Games. He is now the US national all-round speed skating coach.

Personal Bests: 500 – 35.88 (2001); 1000 – 1:08.87 (2003); 1500 – 1:43.95 (2002); 3000 – 3:46.14 (2002); 5000 – 6:17.98 (2002); 10000 – 13:33.44 (2002); Sprint Combination – 142.685 (2006); Allround Samalog – 153.661 (2002).

Born: August 30, 1976 (Age 35) in Kalamazoo, MI
Affiliations: WASSC, West Allis (USA)

Personal Bests: 500 – 36.72 (1998); 1000 – 1:11.56 (1998); 1500 – 1:50.20 (1999); 5000 – 7:15.96 (1996); 10000 – 15:41.12 (1995).

Born: February 15, 1970 in Chicago, IL

Affiliations: Evanston

Nate Mills came from a highly athletic family, most notable for his sister, Phoebe Mills, who won a bronze medal in gymnastics on the balance beam at the 1988 Olympics, and later competed in the Olympic Trials in diving. Nate appeared in three Olympic Winter Games for the US and had a long career on the World Cup circuit, starting in 1988 and lasting through 1998. He began his international career with three appearances at the World Junior Championships, 1987-89, with a best overall finish of 10th in 1989, when he placed fifth in 500. He competed at the 1991 World Winter Universiade where he won a bronze in the 1,000 m. Mills also competed at the 1989 and 1991 World Championships, placing second in the 500 in 1991, and at two World Sprint Championships, in 1994 and 1998. Mills later became a teacher in the DC area, where has founded DC ICE (Inner City Excellence), which attempts to get inner city youth involved in skating programs, notably at the Fort Dupont Ice Arena.

Personal Bests: 500 – 35.98 (1998); 1000 – 1:11.18 (1998); 1500 – 1:50.07 (1998); 5000 – 6:56.45 (1991); 10000 – 14:40.46 (1991).

Born: December 23, 1964 in Chicago, Illinois

Medals: 1 Silver

Andy Gabel began winning US and North American championships in speed skating, both short- and long-track, as a juvenile in 1979. He was on the US Short-Track Team from 1979-98, the longest tenure ever. During that time he won over 75 international medals in addition to his three Olympic appearances and one silver medal. Among his medals were a gold in the 500 at the 1989 World Winter University Games, two silvers at the 1991 version of that event, and bronzes in the 1,000 and 1,500 in 1989. He later graduated from Marquette University and has become a successful investment banker. Gabel was elected to the US Speedskating Board of Directors in 1994 as an athlete representative, was named a Vice President in 1999, and became President in 2002. He has also served as a member of the ISU Short Track World Cup Management Commission (1998-2002), and later served as the Chairman of the ISU Short Track Technical Committee. Gabel was the Project Manager for short track speed skating at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.

Born: April 11, 1970 in Lakewood, WA

Personal Bests: 500 – 36.09 (2004); 1000 – 1:09.90 (2004); 1500 – 1:46.78 (2003); 5000 – 6:22.97 (2002); 10000 – 13:21.06 (2004).

Born: April 10, 1962 in Rochester, NY

Medals: 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze 

Cathy Turner began her speed skating career in the 1970s, winning the 1979 U.S. short-track title. But she retired in 1980 to pursue a singing and songwriting career. She was a bar singer in Las Vegas, under the name Nikki Newland. Inspired by the 1988 short-track demonstration events at Calgary, and trying to overcome clinical depression, when short-track speed skating became an Olympic sport in 1992, she came out of retirement and won the only individual event on the program, the 500 metres. She defended that title in 1994 at Lillehammer, and added relay medals (silver in 1992 and bronze in 1994) to give her four short-track medals in all. She was one of the few speed skaters to appear in Ice Capades, which she did in 1992, skating and singing. She also appeared on television as one of the American Gladiators.

Born: December 15, 1971 (Age 40) in Plymouth, MA 

Medals: 1 Bronze (1 Total)

Karen Cashman started skating at the Commonwealth Figure Skating Club of Randolph, Massachusetts, twice winning the New England Junior title in figure skating. She also ran varsity track at North Quincy High School before attending Northern Michigan University. In addition to her Olympic medal, Cashman won two bronze medals at the 1993 and 1995 World Winter University Games in the short-track relay. Her former club now awards the Karen Cashman Award to the best young skater at the club, and Karen Cashman-Lehman serves as a skating coach at the club, in addition to her work as a French teacher.

Born: October 7, 1968 (Age 43) in Roseville, MN
Affiliations: Midway SC, Saint Paul (USA) 

Medals: 1 Silver (1 Total)

Randy Bartz competed at the 1991 and 1993 World Winter University Games, winning a silver medal in the relay in 1991 and a bronze in the relay in 1993. He later graduated from the University of Minnesota, and worked initially as a management consultant before starting his own business. In 1998 he served as a color analyst for short-track events in Nagano for NBC Television.

Born: June 23, 1975 in West Allis, WI 

Affiliations: WASSC, West Allis 
Medals: 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze 

Chris Witty has competed at the top levels in both cycling and speed skating. Internationally she competed at the World Junior Championships in speed skating from 1991-94, with little success, placing sixth overall in 1994. Primarily a sprinter, she competed at the World Sprint Championships for the first time in 1994, and in 1996 broke thru to win the World title. In 1998 she won the 1,000 metre gold medal at the World Single Distance Championship. Her 2002 Olympic gold medal in the 1,000, however, in world record time, was a shock as she had had to cut back on her training. This was her fourth world record in the 1,000, in addition to two junior world records she had set, one in the 1,000, and one in the sprint. In 2000 Witty qualified for the Olympic team in cycling, where she placed fifth in the 500 metre time trial. She was chosen by her teammates to carry the US flag at the opening ceremony in Torino in 2006. Shortly before those Olympics, Witty revealed that she had experienced childhood abuse from a trusted neighbor for several years, beginning as a young child, keeping the secret for years, and the trauma of revealing this had affected her training prior to the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.

Personal Bests: 500 – 38.36 (2002); 1000 – 1:13.83 (2002); 1500 – 1:55.71 (2002); 3000 – 4:22.57 (1998); 5000 – 7:38.20 (1998); Allround Samalog – 168.851 (1998); Sprint Combination – 152.905 (1999).

Born: February 15, 1970 in Chicago, IL

Affiliations: Evanston

Nate Mills came from a highly athletic family, most notable for his sister, Phoebe Mills, who won a bronze medal in gymnastics on the balance beam at the 1988 Olympics, and later competed in the Olympic Trials in diving. Nate appeared in three Olympic Winter Games for the US and had a long career on the World Cup circuit, starting in 1988 and lasting through 1998. He began his international career with three appearances at the World Junior Championships, 1987-89, with a best overall finish of 10th in 1989, when he placed fifth in 500. He competed at the 1991 World Winter Universiade where he won a bronze in the 1,000 m. Mills also competed at the 1989 and 1991 World Championships, placing second in the 500 in 1991, and at two World Sprint Championships, in 1994 and 1998. Mills later became a teacher in the DC area, where has founded DC ICE (Inner City Excellence), which attempts to get inner city youth involved in skating programs, notably at the Fort Dupont Ice Arena.

Personal Bests: 500 – 35.98 (1998); 1000 – 1:11.18 (1998); 1500 – 1:50.07 (1998); 5000 – 6:56.45 (1991); 10000 – 14:40.46 (1991).

Born: December 23, 1964 in Chicago, Illinois

Medals: 1 Silver

Andy Gabel began winning US and North American championships in speed skating, both short- and long-track, as a juvenile in 1979. He was on the US Short-Track Team from 1979-98, the longest tenure ever. During that time he won over 75 international medals in addition to his three Olympic appearances and one silver medal. Among his medals were a gold in the 500 at the 1989 World Winter University Games, two silvers at the 1991 version of that event, and bronzes in the 1,000 and 1,500 in 1989. He later graduated from Marquette University and has become a successful investment banker. Gabel was elected to the US Speedskating Board of Directors in 1994 as an athlete representative, was named a Vice President in 1999, and became President in 2002. He has also served as a member of the ISU Short Track World Cup Management Commission (1998-2002), and later served as the Chairman of the ISU Short Track Technical Committee. Gabel was the Project Manager for short track speed skating at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.

Born: September 24, 1970 in Schuylerville, NY

Affiliations: Saratoga Winter Club, Saratoga Springs

Kristen Talbot competed internationally in speed skating from 1986 to 1994. She appeared in three Winter Olympics and at the 1989 and 1990 World Junior Championships, as well as skating parts of the World Cup circuit for several years. Talbot was second in the 500 at the 1990 World Juniors and finished 10th overall at that meet, her best international finishes. She studied physical therapy at Skidmore College and Montana Tech. Talbot is best known for her altruism only one month prior to the 1994 Winter Olympics. Her brother, Jason, was quite sick with aplastic anemia, and Talbot donated her bone marrow to him in January 1994, in an attempt to reverse the course of the often fatal disease. The bone marrow transplant would lower her own hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, definitely affecting her ability to skate, but she did it with no worries.

Personal Bests: 500 – 40.72 (1993); 1000 – 1:23.02 (1993); 1500 – 2:14.09 (1990); 3000 – 4:54.87 (1990).

Born: April 7, 1969 in Saint Paul, MN

Affiliations: Midway SC, Saint Paul

Peggy Clasen was primarily a sprinter, competing at four consecutive World Sprint Championships from 1990-93. Her best distance finish was an eighth place in one 500 in 1993. Clasen skated the World Cup circuit from 1987-94. She never made a podium but placed seventh at one 500 in 1992, and in 1993, had a fifth and seventh place finish at 1,000 m. She later married and settled in the Twin Cities area.

Personal Bests: 500 – 40.72 (1993); 1000 – 1:21.98 (1993); 1500 – 2:15.59 (1989); 3000 – 6:24.19 (1986).

Born: May 25, 1967 (Age 45) in Milwaukee, WI

Affiliations: Mequon 

Brian Wanek competed at the World Championships in 1988, 1991, and 1993-94, in addition to his two Winter Olympic appearances. Wanek was on the World Cup circuit in 1987-88, and 1990-94. His best international placements came at the 1985 World Junior Championship, when he was seventh in all-around, and fourth in the 3,000 m. Wanek graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee in 1990 with an honors degree in computer science, and worked as a computer programmer during much of his speedskating career. But he later returned to school at the University of Chicago Law School, earning his law degree. He then became a partner with Foley & Lardner, practicing in their Tampa office and specializing in real estate law, especially in the energy industry. Wanek's brother Brad was also a speedskater, but was a West Point grad and later became an Army helicopter pilot.

Personal Bests: 500 – 38.65 (1992); 1000 – 1:15.44 (1992); 1500 – 1:55.15 (1992); 5000 – 6:58.60 (1992); 10000 – 14:51.34 (1992).

Born: March 9, 1967 in Pembroke, MA

Affiliations: Skating Club of Boston, Boston

Medals: 2 Silver 

Starting out as a short track skater, Flaim switched to long track for his international career. In his second senior season, he surprised at the World Sprint Championships by winning the second 1000 m and taking the overall bronze. At the Olympics, starting the week later, Flaim broke the World Record in the 1500 m, only to see André Hoffmann go even faster two pairs later. He closed out the season by unexpectedly winning the World Allround Championships, although the event at the highland rink of Medeo was influenced by weather changes. In the next years, Flaim had a hard time reaching his 1988 level, especially when suffered a knee injury in 1990. After the Albertville Olympics, he switched back to his short track speed skating, which had now also gained Olympic medal status. Just two years later, he won his second Olympic silver medal, this time as part of the American short track relay team.

Personal Bests: 500 – 36.98 (1988); 1000 – 1:13.53 (1988); 1500 – 1:52.12 (1988); 5000 – 6:47.09 (1988); 10000 – 14:05.57 (1988).

Born: June 17, 1965 in Milwaukee, WI
Affiliations: WASSC, West Allis
Medals:1 Gold

Dan Jansen is considered among the greatest sprint speed skaters ever. He won numerous times on the World Cup circuit and at World Championships, and his only failing was a relative lack of success at the Olympic Games. But in some ways his Olympic performances were his greatest success, revealing his character. Jansen competed at the 1984 Winter Olympics before his prime, but in 1988 he won the World Sprint Championships one week before the Olympics and was favored in both the 500 and 1,000 metre races. The day of the 500 metres, he was informed that his sister, Jane, who was sick with leukemia, was close to death. Only a few hours before the start of the race, he found that she had died. Jansen started, but fell as he entered the first turn. A few days later, he skated the 1,000 metres and fell again. But he reacted with a grace and magnanimity so rarely seen in athletes after crushing defeats.

At the 1992 Winter Olympics, Jansen was again favored and again struggled, placing fourth in the 500 and 26th in the 1,000. He had no excuses and he offered none. Coming to the 1994 Winter Olympics, Jansen was again a favorite, at least in the 500, but in that race he started on the outer, and on the final turn, his speed was so great that he slightly lost control and put his hand down to steady himself, losing a few tenths of a second, and placing only eighth in the race. His last chance for a gold medal seemed lost, until a few days later, when he resurrected his Olympic record by winning a gold medal in the 1,000 in world record time. In his victory lap, he carried his young daughter around the rink with him – her name was Jane.

During his career, Dan Jansen won 46 World Cup races (second all-time), and seven overall World Cups, as well as two World Sprint Championships (1988 and 1994). He also set eight senior world records, five in the 500, two in the sprint combination, and one 1,000 record at the Lillehammer Olympics. After retiring Jansen worked as a motivational speaker, and as a sales rep for an orthopaedic equipment company.

Personal Bests: 500 – 35.76 (1994); 1000 – 1:12.43 (1994); 1500 – 1:55.62 (1993); 3000 – 4:25.63 (1983); 5000 – 7:50.22 (1982); Sprint Combination – 144.815 (1994).

Born: June 28, 1972 

Darcie Dohnal began skating at age 10 in her hometown of Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, when her father was asked to donate money to help keep open a speed skating oval in the town. He enlisted his five children to skate at the rink, and Dohnal improved to eventually make the US team. In addition to her Olympic medal, Dohnal won a bronze medal at the 1993 World Winter University Games in the short-track relay. Dohnal’s career was rather short, as she concentrated on a medical career. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a degree in biology, she finished medical school at the Memorial University of Newfoundland Medical School in Canada, where she also completed a residency in family practice. Dr. Sharapova practices medicine in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Born: November 8, 1968 in Golden Valley, MN

Affiliations: Midway SC, Saint Paul

On a trip from Chicago to Milwaukee for a meet in 1991, Michelle Kline's dreams were almost derailed when the Jeep they were riding in went out of control. Kline was severely injured, sustaining damage to her ribs, spleen, kidneys, and lungs, but she would recover to skate for the US at the 1992 Albertville Olympics. Kline skated the World Cup circuit from 1986-94, with a best finish of fifth in a 3K in 1991 at Butte, Montana. She competed at the World Championships from 1989-92 and the World Sprint Championships in 1994. Kline now lives near the Twin Cities, and runs Wildside Caterers, the company that provides catering services to the Minnesota Wild NHL team.

Personal Bests: 500 – 41.21 (1994); 1000 – 1:22.44 (1994); 1500 – 2:08.02 (1994); 3000 – 4:33.48 (1991); 5000 – 8:01.33 (1993).

Born: February 15, 1970 in Chicago, IL

Affiliations: Evanston

Nate Mills came from a highly athletic family, most notable for his sister, Phoebe Mills, who won a bronze medal in gymnastics on the balance beam at the 1988 Olympics, and later competed in the Olympic Trials in diving. Nate appeared in three Olympic Winter Games for the US and had a long career on the World Cup circuit, starting in 1988 and lasting through 1998. He began his international career with three appearances at the World Junior Championships, 1987-89, with a best overall finish of 10th in 1989, when he placed fifth in 500. He competed at the 1991 World Winter Universiade where he won a bronze in the 1,000 m. Mills also competed at the 1989 and 1991 World Championships, placing second in the 500 in 1991, and at two World Sprint Championships, in 1994 and 1998. Mills later became a teacher in the DC area, where has founded DC ICE (Inner City Excellence), which attempts to get inner city youth involved in skating programs, notably at the Fort Dupont Ice Arena.

Personal Bests: 500 – 35.98 (1998); 1000 – 1:11.18 (1998); 1500 – 1:50.07 (1998); 5000 – 6:56.45 (1991); 10000 – 14:40.46 (1991).

Born: March 4, 1968 in Saratoga Springs, NY

Affiliations: Saratoga Winter Club, Saratoga Springs

Moira D'Andrea had a very long international career, skating the World Cup circuit from 1986 through 1998, although she skipped a few years. She competed at seven World Championships (1985, 1990-91, 1994-97) with two distance podiums, both in the 500 in 1995 and 1996. D'Andrea also skated at the World Junior Championships in 1986, the World Sprint Championships in 1986, 1990, and 1996-99, and the World Single Distance Championships of 1996-98. She won seven in World Cup B sprint races, six in the 1,000 from 1996-98 and one in the 500 in 1998. D'Andrea later became a speed skating coach for the Canadian national team.

Personal Bests: 500 – 39.12 (1998); 1000 – 1:17.78 (1998); 1500 – 2:01.95 (1998); 3000 – 4:23.89 (1995); 5000 – 7:40.26 (1995).

Born: September 24, 1970 in Schuylerville, NY

Affiliations: Saratoga Winter Club, Saratoga Springs

Kristen Talbot competed internationally in speed skating from 1986 to 1994. She appeared in three Winter Olympics and at the 1989 and 1990 World Junior Championships, as well as skating parts of the World Cup circuit for several years. Talbot was second in the 500 at the 1990 World Juniors and finished 10th overall at that meet, her best international finishes. She studied physical therapy at Skidmore College and Montana Tech. Talbot is best known for her altruism only one month prior to the 1994 Winter Olympics. Her brother, Jason, was quite sick with aplastic anemia, and Talbot donated her bone marrow to him in January 1994, in an attempt to reverse the course of the often fatal disease. The bone marrow transplant would lower her own hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, definitely affecting her ability to skate, but she did it with no worries.

Personal Bests: 500 – 40.72 (1993); 1000 – 1:23.02 (1993); 1500 – 2:14.09 (1990); 3000 – 4:54.87 (1990).

Born: May 25, 1967 (Age 45) in Milwaukee, WI

Affiliations: Mequon 

Brian Wanek competed at the World Championships in 1988, 1991, and 1993-94, in addition to his two Winter Olympic appearances. Wanek was on the World Cup circuit in 1987-88, and 1990-94. His best international placements came at the 1985 World Junior Championship, when he was seventh in all-around, and fourth in the 3,000 m. Wanek graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee in 1990 with an honors degree in computer science, and worked as a computer programmer during much of his speedskating career. But he later returned to school at the University of Chicago Law School, earning his law degree. He then became a partner with Foley & Lardner, practicing in their Tampa office and specializing in real estate law, especially in the energy industry. Wanek's brother Brad was also a speedskater, but was a West Point grad and later became an Army helicopter pilot.

Personal Bests: 500 – 38.65 (1992); 1000 – 1:15.44 (1992); 1500 – 1:55.15 (1992); 5000 – 6:58.60 (1992); 10000 – 14:51.34 (1992).

Born: December 1, 1968 in Chicago, IL

Affiliations: Park Ridge 

Mark Greenwald skated on the World Cup circuit for the US from 1987 through 1992. He competed at the World Junior Championships in 1986 and 1987, the 1988 World Championships, and the 1991 World Winter University Games, in addition to his two Winter Olympic appearances. His best international finishes were a fifth in the 5,000 at the 1988 World Championship, and eighth in all-around at the 1987 World Juniors. Greenwald also raced on in-line skates, skating with Team Speed Specific and Pro Team K2 through 1994. In 1991 he was part of the US Champion team pursuit squad on in-line skates. He earned a degree in international business from Indiana University but later studied kinesiology at the University of Calgary and became a professor there in that department. He has also worked as Program Manager, Director of Sport, and Director of the Calgary Olympic Oval.

Personal Bests: 500 – 39.75 (1988); 1000 – 1:18.46 (1989); 1500 – 1:54.64 (1988); 5000 – 6:51.98 (1988); 10000 – 14:38.75 (1990).

Born: March 18, 1964 in Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY
Affiliations: Champaign-Urbana, Illinois
Related Olympians: Wife of Dave Cruikshank.
Medals: 5 Gold, 1 Bronze

American Bonnie Blair is the only woman to have won an Olympic speed skating event at three successive Games with victories in the 500 metres in 1988, 1992 and 1994. She also won the 1,000 metres in 1992 and 1994 after taking the bronze in 1988, and her total of five speed skating gold medals has only been bettered by the Russian Lidiya Skoblikova. Blair actually started out as a short-track skater, before turning her efforts to the 400 metre Olympic oval. She won four World Championships, those being the World Short-Track Championships in 1986, and the World Sprints in 1989, 1994, and 1995. Blair set four world records in the 500 metres, the last of which was four weeks after the 1994 Olympic Winter Games, in which she became the first woman to break 39 seconds for the 500.

Personal Bests: 500 – 38.69 (1995); 1000 – 1:18.05 (1995); 1500 – 2:03.44 (1994); 3000 – 4:47.60 (1986); 5000 – 8:58.29 (1985).

Born: June 17, 1965 in Milwaukee, WI
Affiliations: WASSC, West Allis
Medals:1 Gold

Dan Jansen is considered among the greatest sprint speed skaters ever. He won numerous times on the World Cup circuit and at World Championships, and his only failing was a relative lack of success at the Olympic Games. But in some ways his Olympic performances were his greatest success, revealing his character. Jansen competed at the 1984 Winter Olympics before his prime, but in 1988 he won the World Sprint Championships one week before the Olympics and was favored in both the 500 and 1,000 metre races. The day of the 500 metres, he was informed that his sister, Jane, who was sick with leukemia, was close to death. Only a few hours before the start of the race, he found that she had died. Jansen started, but fell as he entered the first turn. A few days later, he skated the 1,000 metres and fell again. But he reacted with a grace and magnanimity so rarely seen in athletes after crushing defeats.

At the 1992 Winter Olympics, Jansen was again favored and again struggled, placing fourth in the 500 and 26th in the 1,000. He had no excuses and he offered none. Coming to the 1994 Winter Olympics, Jansen was again a favorite, at least in the 500, but in that race he started on the outer, and on the final turn, his speed was so great that he slightly lost control and put his hand down to steady himself, losing a few tenths of a second, and placing only eighth in the race. His last chance for a gold medal seemed lost, until a few days later, when he resurrected his Olympic record by winning a gold medal in the 1,000 in world record time. In his victory lap, he carried his young daughter around the rink with him – her name was Jane.

During his career, Dan Jansen won 46 World Cup races (second all-time), and seven overall World Cups, as well as two World Sprint Championships (1988 and 1994). He also set eight senior world records, five in the 500, two in the sprint combination, and one 1,000 record at the Lillehammer Olympics. After retiring Jansen worked as a motivational speaker, and as a sales rep for an orthopaedic equipment company.

Personal Bests: 500 – 35.76 (1994); 1000 – 1:12.43 (1994); 1500 – 1:55.62 (1993); 3000 – 4:25.63 (1983); 5000 – 7:50.22 (1982); Sprint Combination – 144.815 (1994).

Born: October 30, 1971 in Saint Paul, MN

Affiliations: Midway SC, Saint Paul

Tara Laszlo was mostly a sprinter, who started out in short-track, and competed at the 1988 Winter Olympics in the short-track demonstration events. She had only a brief World Cup career, skating for parts of the 1986-87, 1987-88, and 1991-92 seasons. Laszlo started out internationally in long-track at the 1989-91 World Junior Championships, placing fifth all-around in 1990, and third that year in the 3,000. She also competed at the 1989 World Sprint Championships and the 1992 World Championships, in addition to her 1992 Winter Olympic appearance,

Personal Bests: 500 – 41.17 (1989); 1000 – 1:23.44 (1992); 1500 – 2:09.46 (1991); 3000 – 4:39.66 (1992); 5000 – 8:15.00 (1992).

Born: December 23, 1964 in Chicago, Illinois

Medals: 1 Silver

Andy Gabel began winning US and North American championships in speed skating, both short- and long-track, as a juvenile in 1979. He was on the US Short-Track Team from 1979-98, the longest tenure ever. During that time he won over 75 international medals in addition to his three Olympic appearances and one silver medal. Among his medals were a gold in the 500 at the 1989 World Winter University Games, two silvers at the 1991 version of that event, and bronzes in the 1,000 and 1,500 in 1989. He later graduated from Marquette University and has become a successful investment banker. Gabel was elected to the US Speedskating Board of Directors in 1994 as an athlete representative, was named a Vice President in 1999, and became President in 2002. He has also served as a member of the ISU Short Track World Cup Management Commission (1998-2002), and later served as the Chairman of the ISU Short Track Technical Committee. Gabel was the Project Manager for short track speed skating at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.

Born: September 24, 1970 in Schuylerville, NY

Affiliations: Saratoga Winter Club, Saratoga Springs

Kristen Talbot competed internationally in speed skating from 1986 to 1994. She appeared in three Winter Olympics and at the 1989 and 1990 World Junior Championships, as well as skating parts of the World Cup circuit for several years. Talbot was second in the 500 at the 1990 World Juniors and finished 10th overall at that meet, her best international finishes. She studied physical therapy at Skidmore College and Montana Tech. Talbot is best known for her altruism only one month prior to the 1994 Winter Olympics. Her brother, Jason, was quite sick with aplastic anemia, and Talbot donated her bone marrow to him in January 1994, in an attempt to reverse the course of the often fatal disease. The bone marrow transplant would lower her own hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, definitely affecting her ability to skate, but she did it with no worries.

Personal Bests: 500 – 40.72 (1993); 1000 – 1:23.02 (1993); 1500 – 2:14.09 (1990); 3000 – 4:54.87 (1990).

Born: April 7, 1969 in Saint Paul, MN

Affiliations: Midway SC, Saint Paul

Peggy Clasen was primarily a sprinter, competing at four consecutive World Sprint Championships from 1990-93. Her best distance finish was an eighth place in one 500 in 1993. Clasen skated the World Cup circuit from 1987-94. She never made a podium but placed seventh at one 500 in 1992, and in 1993, had a fifth and seventh place finish at 1,000 m. She later married and settled in the Twin Cities area.

Personal Bests: 500 – 40.72 (1993); 1000 – 1:21.98 (1993); 1500 – 2:15.59 (1989); 3000 – 6:24.19 (1986).

Born: May 25, 1967 (Age 45) in Milwaukee, WI

Affiliations: Mequon 

Brian Wanek competed at the World Championships in 1988, 1991, and 1993-94, in addition to his two Winter Olympic appearances. Wanek was on the World Cup circuit in 1987-88, and 1990-94. His best international placements came at the 1985 World Junior Championship, when he was seventh in all-around, and fourth in the 3,000 m. Wanek graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee in 1990 with an honors degree in computer science, and worked as a computer programmer during much of his speedskating career. But he later returned to school at the University of Chicago Law School, earning his law degree. He then became a partner with Foley & Lardner, practicing in their Tampa office and specializing in real estate law, especially in the energy industry. Wanek's brother Brad was also a speedskater, but was a West Point grad and later became an Army helicopter pilot.

Personal Bests: 500 – 38.65 (1992); 1000 – 1:15.44 (1992); 1500 – 1:55.15 (1992); 5000 – 6:58.60 (1992); 10000 – 14:51.34 (1992).

Born: February 15, 1962 in Glen Cove, NY

Affiliations: Evanston 

Jeff Klaiber skated on the World Cup circuit from 1985 through 1989 and also appeared at the 1985 and 1989 World Championships. He focused on the 1,500 and 5,000 m, with his best international finish a 10th at a 5K in Innsbruck in January 1988. Klaiber graduated from Marquette University and later earned a masters in clinical psychology from the University of Calgary. From 1994-2005 he worked as a clinical psychologist for the Milwaukee Public School System. But he later turned to business where he has used his skills as a market analyst doing research on various brands for DJ at Saga Communications, SC Johnson Wax, Bader Rutter & Associates, and C&R Creative & Response Research.

Personal Bests: 500 – 38.78 (1989); 1000 – 1:17.92 (1989); 1500 – 1:56.30 (1989); 5000 – 6:58.06 (1989); 10000 – 14:38.60 (1988).

Born: March 9, 1967 in Pembroke, MA

Affiliations: Skating Club of Boston, Boston

Medals: 2 Silver 

Starting out as a short track skater, Flaim switched to long track for his international career. In his second senior season, he surprised at the World Sprint Championships by winning the second 1000 m and taking the overall bronze. At the Olympics, starting the week later, Flaim broke the World Record in the 1500 m, only to see André Hoffmann go even faster two pairs later. He closed out the season by unexpectedly winning the World Allround Championships, although the event at the highland rink of Medeo was influenced by weather changes. In the next years, Flaim had a hard time reaching his 1988 level, especially when suffered a knee injury in 1990. After the Albertville Olympics, he switched back to his short track speed skating, which had now also gained Olympic medal status. Just two years later, he won his second Olympic silver medal, this time as part of the American short track relay team.

Personal Bests: 500 – 36.98 (1988); 1000 – 1:13.53 (1988); 1500 – 1:52.12 (1988); 5000 – 6:47.09 (1988); 10000 – 14:05.57 (1988).

Born: January 11, 1969 in Chicago, IL

Affiliations: Northbrook Speedskating Club, Northbrook

Dave Cruikshank competed for the US at four Winter Olympics. He also attended the 2002 US Olympic Trials but failed to make the team. Cruikshank’s first international appearance was at the 1987 World Junior Championships, where he won the 500, which would remain his only international podium appearance during a long career, primarily as a sprinter. He later competed at the World Sprint Championships in 1989, 1992-93, and 1995; the World Winter University Games in 1991; and the World Single Distance Championships in 1997 and 1998. Cruikshank also skated the World Cup circuit from 1987 through 1999. Cruikshank is a graduate of Carroll College with a degree in business management. He later started DC Hybrid Skating, a skating coaching group and personally he has served as a skating coach to several NHL and minor league hockey teams, as well as D1 college programs. Cruikshank has become quite entrepreneurial, also involved with Under Armour TNP Performance Training Council, an online educational resource that focuses on inproving athletic performance; Shwalla and Blue Speed, a performance apparel line; and DASC, a company which makes high-performance ice hockey skates. Cruikshank is the husband of speed skating sprint superstar Bonnie Blair. He was inducted into the US Speed Skating Hall of Fame in 2008.

Personal Bests: 500 – 36.01 (2002); 1000 – 1:12.63 (2000); 1500 – 1:56.84 (1989); 5000 – 7:50.46 (1987).

Born: September 16, 1964 in Skokie, IL
Affiliations: Northbrook Speedskating Club, Northbrook

Jane Goldman skated on the US team from 1983-88, competing in the World Championships in 1984-85 and 1988. She had one near podium finish in a World Cup race, placing fourth at Lake Placid in a 3,000 in January 1987. Goldman attended MIT, and later went to medical school at the University of California at San Francisco, graduating in 1993 with an MD degree. She did her residency in obstetrics and gynecology in Milwaukee, and settled in Wisconsin, practicing with Meadowview Obstetrics & Gynecology in Mequon, Wisconsin.

Personal Bests: 500 – 43.5 (1985); 1000 – 1:26.87 (1984); 1500 – 2:08.72 (1988); 3000 – 4:25.26 (1988); 5000 – 7:36.98 (1988).

Born: September 16, 1963 in Minneapolis, MN
Affiliations: Wayzata Minnesota

Nick Thometz may be the greatest ever American sprint speed skater not to have medaled at the Winter Olympics. He competed internationally for the US from 1981-92. During his career he won nine World Cup 1,000s and two 500s. Thometz won the overall 500 and 1,000 in the 1986-87 World Cup, and placed second at the 1987 World Sprints. He set one official world record, recording 36.55 for 500 m at Heerenveen in March 1987, but he may be most famous for two marks he set that month that were not accepted as world records by the ISU. At a meet in Medeo, USSR, Thometz bettered both the 500 and 1,000 metre records, posting 36.23 and 1:12.05, but the meet was not registered properly in advance, negating the marks. Thometz later settled in Vancouver, Washington, where he works in real estate development. He is also on the ISU Technical Committee. Born Keith Thometz, but always known as Nick, after his speed skating career ended, he had his name legally changed to Nick.

Personal Bests: 500 – 36.23 (1987); 1000 – 1:12.05 (1987); 1500 – 1:53.66 (1987); 5000 – 7:30.50 (1982); 10000 – 16:06.0 (1983).

Born: June 17, 1965 in Milwaukee, WI
Affiliations: WASSC, West Allis
Medals:1 Gold

Dan Jansen is considered among the greatest sprint speed skaters ever. He won numerous times on the World Cup circuit and at World Championships, and his only failing was a relative lack of success at the Olympic Games. But in some ways his Olympic performances were his greatest success, revealing his character. Jansen competed at the 1984 Winter Olympics before his prime, but in 1988 he won the World Sprint Championships one week before the Olympics and was favored in both the 500 and 1,000 metre races. The day of the 500 metres, he was informed that his sister, Jane, who was sick with leukemia, was close to death. Only a few hours before the start of the race, he found that she had died. Jansen started, but fell as he entered the first turn. A few days later, he skated the 1,000 metres and fell again. But he reacted with a grace and magnanimity so rarely seen in athletes after crushing defeats.

At the 1992 Winter Olympics, Jansen was again favored and again struggled, placing fourth in the 500 and 26th in the 1,000. He had no excuses and he offered none. Coming to the 1994 Winter Olympics, Jansen was again a favorite, at least in the 500, but in that race he started on the outer, and on the final turn, his speed was so great that he slightly lost control and put his hand down to steady himself, losing a few tenths of a second, and placing only eighth in the race. His last chance for a gold medal seemed lost, until a few days later, when he resurrected his Olympic record by winning a gold medal in the 1,000 in world record time. In his victory lap, he carried his young daughter around the rink with him – her name was Jane.

During his career, Dan Jansen won 46 World Cup races (second all-time), and seven overall World Cups, as well as two World Sprint Championships (1988 and 1994). He also set eight senior world records, five in the 500, two in the sprint combination, and one 1,000 record at the Lillehammer Olympics. After retiring Jansen worked as a motivational speaker, and as a sales rep for an orthopaedic equipment company.

Personal Bests: 500 – 35.76 (1994); 1000 – 1:12.43 (1994); 1500 – 1:55.62 (1993); 3000 – 4:25.63 (1983); 5000 – 7:50.22 (1982); Sprint Combination – 144.815 (1994).

Born: August 20, 1956 in Chicago, IL
Affiliations: Wheaton

A good athlete in several sports, Nancy Swider-Peltz ran track in high school and then swam in college at Wheaton. Swider-Peltz had a long career in speed skating, competing at three Winter Olympics and in international meets for many years. Her best international tournament was the 1976 World Sprints, where she finished fifth. She also competed at the World Championships in 1976-78, 1980, and 1983-84. On 13 March 1976, Swider-Peltz set a world record of 4:40.85 for 3,000 metres at Inzell, West Germany. She is a member of the National Speed Skating Hall of Fame. Her daughter, Nancy Swider-Peltz, Jr., has competed internationally in speed skating since 2001 and has made the 2010 Winter Olympic team for the United States.

Personal Bests: 500 – 42.39 (2002); 1000 – 1:23.32 (2002); 1500 – 2:08.67 (1998); 3000 – 4:31.99 (1988); 5000 – 7:48.60 (2002).

Born: September 16, 1964 in Skokie, IL
Affiliations: Northbrook Speedskating Club, Northbrook

Jane Goldman skated on the US team from 1983-88, competing in the World Championships in 1984-85 and 1988. She had one near podium finish in a World Cup race, placing fourth at Lake Placid in a 3,000 in January 1987. Goldman attended MIT, and later went to medical school at the University of California at San Francisco, graduating in 1993 with an MD degree. She did her residency in obstetrics and gynecology in Milwaukee, and settled in Wisconsin, practicing with Meadowview Obstetrics & Gynecology in Mequon, Wisconsin.

Personal Bests: 500 – 43.5 (1985); 1000 – 1:26.87 (1984); 1500 – 2:08.72 (1988); 3000 – 4:25.26 (1988); 5000 – 7:36.98 (1988).

Born: September 16, 1963 in Minneapolis, MN
Affiliations: Wayzata Minnesota

Nick Thometz may be the greatest ever American sprint speed skater not to have medaled at the Winter Olympics. He competed internationally for the US from 1981-92. During his career he won nine World Cup 1,000s and two 500s. Thometz won the overall 500 and 1,000 in the 1986-87 World Cup, and placed second at the 1987 World Sprints. He set one official world record, recording 36.55 for 500 m at Heerenveen in March 1987, but he may be most famous for two marks he set that month that were not accepted as world records by the ISU. At a meet in Medeo, USSR, Thometz bettered both the 500 and 1,000 metre records, posting 36.23 and 1:12.05, but the meet was not registered properly in advance, negating the marks. Thometz later settled in Vancouver, Washington, where he works in real estate development. He is also on the ISU Technical Committee. Born Keith Thometz, but always known as Nick, after his speed skating career ended, he had his name legally changed to Nick.

Personal Bests: 500 – 36.23 (1987); 1000 – 1:12.05 (1987); 1500 – 1:53.66 (1987); 5000 – 7:30.50 (1982); 10000 – 16:06.0 (1983).

Born: April 6, 1961 in Minneapolis, MN
Affiliations: Minnetonka

Mark Mitchell attended St. John's University, graduating from there in 1997. He skated for the US internationally from 1980-87, appearing at the World Championships consecutively from 1983-87. He qualified for the 10K once at the Worlds, finishing 14th overall in 1984. Mitchell had one World Cup top 10, finishing ninth in a 1,500 in February 1986 in Innsbruck. Mitchell later attended law school at Hamline University School of Law, graduating in 2000. He became an attorney in Minneapolis with the Robb Olson Law Office, after some work in the State Public Defenders Office, Ninth District.

Personal Bests: 500 – 38.22 (1987); 1000 – 1:17.26 (1988); 1500 – 1:55.69 (1987); 5000 – 7:04.31 (1987); 10000 – 15:07.06 (1982).

Born: August 2, 1957 in Evanston, IL
Affiliations: Northbrook Speedskating Club, Northbrook

Mark Huck competed for the Northbrook Speedskating Club. His only international meet was the 1984 Winter Olympics. Huck graduated from Princeton in 1979 with a degree in political science and later did graduate work at Yale.

Personal Bests: 500 – 40.50 (1984); 1000 – 1:23.29 (1983); 1500 – 2:02.00 (1984); 5000 – 7:29.40 (1984); 10000 – 15:43.92 (1984).

Born: August 20, 1956 in Chicago, IL
Affiliations: Wheaton

A good athlete in several sports, Nancy Swider-Peltz ran track in high school and then swam in college at Wheaton. Swider-Peltz had a long career in speed skating, competing at three Winter Olympics and in international meets for many years. Her best international tournament was the 1976 World Sprints, where she finished fifth. She also competed at the World Championships in 1976-78, 1980, and 1983-84. On 13 March 1976, Swider-Peltz set a world record of 4:40.85 for 3,000 metres at Inzell, West Germany. She is a member of the National Speed Skating Hall of Fame. Her daughter, Nancy Swider-Peltz, Jr., has competed internationally in speed skating since 2001 and has made the 2010 Winter Olympic team for the United States.

Personal Bests: 500 – 42.39 (2002); 1000 – 1:23.32 (2002); 1500 – 2:08.67 (1998); 3000 – 4:31.99 (1988); 5000 – 7:48.60 (2002).

Born: December 14, 1955 in Madison, WI
Affiliations: Atari Speedskating Club
Medals:1 Bronze

In high school, Dan Immerfall was a track star; he was easily the top sprinter in Madison and one of the best in the state. But by then he had also begun to be known as a top speed skater – the sport at which he achieved his greatest fame. Immerfall won a bronze medal in the 1976 Olympics 500 metre event by a margin of only .02 seconds. Although he usually finished in the top 10 in the world sprint events, this was his highest finish ever internationally. Immerfall was a music major at the University of Wisconsin, and was an accomplished clarinetist. He supported himself as a music teacher during his racing career.

Personal Bests: 500 – 37.98 (1980); 1000 – 1:17.46 (1980); 1500 – 2:04.84 (1976); 5000 – 8:10.45 (1977).

Born: November 6, 1957 in Milwaukee, WI
Affiliations: West Allis Milwaukee

Tom Plant competed in the World Junior Championships in 1978 and in the World Sprints in 1979-80. In 1980 at the World Sprints, Plant placed third overall, and won one of the 500s. He also skated that year at the World Championships, placing second in the 500. He later settled near Las Vegas and has worked in the investment business.

Personal Bests: 500 – 38.66 (1980); 1000 – 1:16.03 (1980); 1500 – 1:58.73 (1980); 5000 – 7:30.14 (1980); 10000 – 16:30.94 (1980).

Born: April 8, 1958 (Age 54) in Champaign, IL

Erik Henriksen was from Milwaukee. He competed internationally for the US from 1979-88, although he did come out of retirement to skate one World Cup event in Milwaukee in January 1994. A pure sprinter, Henriksen competed at the World Sprint Championship every year from 1981-88. He was at his best in the 1,000, and although he never won a major international race, he had 10 podium finishes in the 1,000 and three in the 500. Henriksen attended the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, studying pre-law, but he never practiced law, instead becoming a writer.

Personal Bests: 500 – 37.40 (1987); 1000 – 1:14.53 (1987); 1500 – 1:56.21 (1987); 5000 – 7:51.43 (1983).

Born: September 27, 1959 in Madison, WI
Affiliations: Madison Speed Skating Club, Madison
Related Olympians: Sister of Eric Heiden
Medals: 1 Bronze

Beth Heiden was one of the world's most outstanding women athletes. In high school she played tennis and soccer, but also ran track, setting a national age-group record for the mile. She went on to an outstanding career as a speed skater, becoming in 1979 the first American to win the Women's World Championships by winning all four events. She finished second in that event in 1980, was second in the 1978 and 1979 World Sprints, and was expected to join her brother, Eric Heiden, in picking up a slew of medals at Lake Placid. But an ankle injury hounded her, and the press's expectations bothered her, and she was not the dominant force that Eric was. She came away with a bronze medal in her best event, the 3,000. Heiden did not skate competitively after the 1980 season, but she has kept in shape. Later in 1980, she became the first American to win the cycling road race at the Women's World Championships, and for awhile it seemed cycling had become her primary sport. Beth Heiden had attended the University of Wisconsin as a physics major. But in 1981 she transferred to the University of Vermont where she tried a completely new sport – cross-country skiing. After only one year after taking up the sport, in 1983, she won the NCAA Women's championship in cross-country skiing.

Personal Bests: 500 – 41.78 (1980); 1000 – 1:23.66 (1980); 1500 – 2:07.87 (1980); 3000 – 4:32.60 (1980); 5000 – 8:06.93 (1979).

Born: May 15, 1952 (Age 60) in Milwaukee, WI
Affiliations: WASSC, West Allis

Mike Woods was one of the greatest distance skaters ever produced in the United States. In addition to his three Olympic appearances, Woods competed internationally from 1972, starting at the World Juniors, thru the 1984 season, in which he placed 12th in the World Championships, and second that year in the 10K. Woods won the 10K at the 1980 World Championships, and was second in the 5K at the 1979 Worlds. All-around he was fourth at the 1980 World Championships and at the 1979 Uniekass Trophy Meet. Woods attended Marquette, graduating in 1974 magna cum laude. He later attended medical school and competed at the 1980 Winter Olympics while in his anaesthesiology residency. Woods now practices as an anaesthesiologist.

Personal Bests: 500 – 39.2 (1978); 1,000 – 1:19.00 (1978); 1,500 – 1:58.57 (1980); 5,000 – 7:05.83 (1980); 10,000 – 14:39.53 (1980).

Born: December 14, 1955 in Madison, WI
Affiliations: Atari Speedskating Club
Medals:1 Bronze

In high school, Dan Immerfall was a track star; he was easily the top sprinter in Madison and one of the best in the state. But by then he had also begun to be known as a top speed skater – the sport at which he achieved his greatest fame. Immerfall won a bronze medal in the 1976 Olympics 500 metre event by a margin of only .02 seconds. Although he usually finished in the top 10 in the world sprint events, this was his highest finish ever internationally. Immerfall was a music major at the University of Wisconsin, and was an accomplished clarinetist. He supported himself as a music teacher during his racing career.

Personal Bests: 500 – 37.98 (1980); 1000 – 1:17.46 (1980); 1500 – 2:04.84 (1976); 5000 – 8:10.45 (1977).

Born: February 27, 1955 in St. Louis, MO
Affiliations: Metros Speedskating Club, St. Louis

Jim Chapin was a sprinter, who in 1972 won the 500 metres at the World Junior Championships, placing 19th in all-around. But he was the 1973 North American all-around champion as well. Chapin competed in the World Sprint Championships in 1978, placing 11th. He skated for the Gateway Speedskating Club in his youth, but later joined the Metro Speed Skating Club.

Personal Bests: 500 – 37.92 (1980); 1000 – 1:18.88 (1984); 1500 – 2:09.35 (1978); 5000 – 8:22.31 (1978).
 

Born: August 20, 1956 in Chicago, IL
Affiliations: Wheaton

A good athlete in several sports, Nancy Swider-Peltz ran track in high school and then swam in college at Wheaton. Swider-Peltz had a long career in speed skating, competing at three Winter Olympics and in international meets for many years. Her best international tournament was the 1976 World Sprints, where she finished fifth. She also competed at the World Championships in 1976-78, 1980, and 1983-84. On 13 March 1976, Swider-Peltz set a world record of 4:40.85 for 3,000 metres at Inzell, West Germany. She is a member of the National Speed Skating Hall of Fame. Her daughter, Nancy Swider-Peltz, Jr., has competed internationally in speed skating since 2001 and has made the 2010 Winter Olympic team for the United States.

Personal Bests: 500 – 42.39 (2002); 1000 – 1:23.32 (2002); 1500 – 2:08.67 (1998); 3000 – 4:31.99 (1988); 5000 – 7:48.60 (2002).

Born: March 20, 1956 (Age 56) in Madison, WI
Affiliations: Madison Speed Skating Club, Madison

Lori Monk competed in volleyball, golf, track, and speed skating in high school, growing up in Madison, Wisconsin. She was on two state championship golf teams, and led her track team to the state championships, winning seven individual state titles. Internationally, Monk competed at only one major meet besides the 1976 Winter Olympics, the 1974 World Sprints. She attended the University of Wisconsin, twice lettering in track, and eventually won five national speed skating championships. She later worked as a firefighter and paramedic and coached youth sports. Her son, Tyler Goff, competed in multiple international speed skating meets, but never made an Olympic team.

Personal Bests: 500 – 42.94 (1976); 1000 – 1:30.19 (1976); 1500 – 2:40.63 (1976); 3000 – 5:58.5 (1974).

Born: January 15, 1956 in St. Louis, MO
Died: February 9, 2012 (Aged 56) in Beaverton, Oregon
Affiliations: Metros Speedskating Club, St. Louis

In 1973 she was 17th overall at the World Juniors, placing fourth in the 500. In 1974 she improved to 11th at the World Juniors and again finished fourth in the 500. In 1975 Crowe finished 14th overall at the World Sprints.

Personal Bests: 500 – 44.10 (1976); 1000 – 1:28.92 (1977); 1500 – 2:19.43 (1977); 3000 – 5:02.70 (1977).

Born: July 27, 1954 in Madison, WI
Affiliations: Dousman
Medals: 1 Gold

Peter Mueller was one of the top sprinters American speed skating has ever produced. Exclusively a sprinter, he competed in the World Sprints in 1974 and 1975 and did well, but gave no hint he could win the gold medal in 1976 in the first ever Olympic 1,000 meter competition. Although overshadowed by Eric Heiden, between 1976 and 1980 Mueller proved himself one of the top sprinters in the world, finishing second in the 1977 World Sprints and fourth in the 1979 World Sprints. It was thought he could win another medal at Lake Placid, but he finished fifth in his specialty, the 1,000 meters. In September 1977, Mueller married Leah Poulos, a three-time Olympic speed skating medalist.

Personal Bests: 500 – 37.71 (1980); 1000 – 1:15.33 (1980); 1500 – 2:05.21 (1977); 5000 – 8:13.40 (1976).

Born: June 14, 1958 (Age 54) in Madison, WI
Affiliations: Madison Speed Skating Club, Madison
Related Olympians: Brother of Beth Heiden
Medals: 5 Gold

Eric Heiden is usually considered the greatest speed skater of all time and his utter domination of the sport in the late 70s warrants him a place among the greatest athletes of all time. Heiden competed at the 1976 Olympics where his best finish was seventh in the 1,500 meters. But at the world championships after the Olympics, he gave a hint of things to come when he won the 500m title. In 1977 he won the World Junior All-round, the World Senior Sprints and became the first American to win the World Senior All-round. In 1978 he defended all three titles. Too old for the juniors in 1979, he won the sprints and the all-around for the third straight year, and did what no man had done outright since 1912 – win all four titles at the World Championships. Heiden stood at the top of the Adelskalender for a record 1,495 days, and won the Oscar Mathisen Award four times in a row from 1977 until 1980. As of 2006, he still is the only skater who has won the award four times. He set eight world records at distances between 1,000 and 10,000 metres, but his best event was the 1,000. After retiring from speed skating, Heiden then turned to cycling and, after coming close to making the U.S. Olympic team in a second sport, he had a brief career as a professional, winning the United States' national professional title in that sport in 1985 and competing once in the Tour de France, but did not finish the race. His sister, Beth, was also an outstanding speed skater and cyclist, who won a bronze medal in speed skating in 1980 and was women's world road race cycling champion in 1980. Eric Heiden later finished medical school and now practices as an orthopaedic surgeon, specializing in sports medicine.

Personal Bests: 500 – 37.63 (1980); 1000 – 1:13.60 (1980); 1500 – 1:54.79 (1980); 5000 – 6:59.15 (1979); 10000 – 14:28.13 (1980).

Born: October 14, 1950 in Birmingham, MI
Affiliations: Wolverine Skating Club
Related Olympians: Wife of Jim Ochowicz; Sister of Roger Young; Sister-in-law of Connie Paraskevin-Young; Mother of Elli Ochowicz.
Medals:1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze

A top track cyclist and speed skater at the same time, in 1973 Sheila Young performed the astounding feat of winning World Championships in both sports in the same year. She won the sprint worlds on the ice, the first of three titles (1973, 1975-76), while her sprint title on the velodrome was also the first of three, the others coming in 1976 and 1981. In 1976, Sheila Young won three Olympic speedskating medals at the 1976 Winter Olympics, including a gold medal in the 500 m. She later married cyclist and future directeur sportif Jim Ochowicz. Their daughter Elli later also became a speed skater. Her sister-in-law, Connie Paraskevin-Young, was also a World Champion in the sprint, as well as a top international speed skater.

Born: January 27, 1950 in Orange, CA
Affiliations: Glacier Falls Skating Club

Charles Gilmore competed for Anaheim High School and the Glacier Falls Skating Club. In 1967 he won the US junior championship. In 1969, at the US-Canada meet, he won the 1,500, and placed second in the 3,000 and all-around.

Personal Bests: 500 – 41.5 (1972); 1000 – 1:22.7 (1972); 1500 – 2:03.30 (1976); 5000 – 7:40.13 (1976); 10000 – 16:26.35 (1976).
 

Born: October 14, 1950 in Birmingham, MI
Affiliations: Wolverine Skating Club
Related Olympians: Wife of Jim Ochowicz; Sister of Roger Young; Sister-in-law of Connie Paraskevin-Young; Mother of Elli Ochowicz.
Medals:1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze

A top track cyclist and speed skater at the same time, in 1973 Sheila Young performed the astounding feat of winning World Championships in both sports in the same year. She won the sprint worlds on the ice, the first of three titles (1973, 1975-76), while her sprint title on the velodrome was also the first of three, the others coming in 1976 and 1981. In 1976, Sheila Young won three Olympic speedskating medals at the 1976 Winter Olympics, including a gold medal in the 500 m. She later married cyclist and future directeur sportif Jim Ochowicz. Their daughter Elli later also became a speed skater. Her sister-in-law, Connie Paraskevin-Young, was also a World Champion in the sprint, as well as a top international speed skater.

Born: April 28, 1957 in Madison, WI
Affiliations: Madison Speed Skating Club, Madison

Kay Lunda competed for the Madison Speed Skating Club. In 1969 she was US outdoor midget division champion. In 1970 she was in the juvenile class, winning the US indoor title, and placing second outdoors. In 1971 she won the US juvenile outdoors title. In addition to her Olympic appearance, Lunda competed at the 1973 World Junior Championships, placing third all-round and second in the 500 and 1,000 distances. Lunda had a twin sister, Kathy Lunda, who also competed in speed skating.

Personal Bests: 500 – 44.27 (1972); 1000 – 1:33.0 (1972); 1500 – 2:29.4 (1972); 3000 – 5:32.7 (1973).

Born: February 26, 1957 in Madison, WI

Though not as well-known as many, Connie Carpenter-Phinney is one the greatest female athletes in American sporting history. She won 12 US cycling championships, more than any man or woman in history. She also won four medals at the World Championships in both the pursuit and road race, winning the 1983 individual pursuit title. Her finest moment came in the 1984 Olympic road race, the first ever for women. She outlasted America’s Rebecca Twigg to narrowly win the gold medal in that race. At the finish she “threw” her bike, using a move taught to her by her husband, Davis Phinney, who was a gold medalist at the 1984 Olympics in the team time trial, and later rode professionally for the 7-Eleven team. Carpenter-Phinney also competed in the 1972 Olympics as a speed skater, though she was only 15 at the time. Her other major cycling victories included the 1977 Tour of Fitchburg and two victories at the Coors Classic (1977, 1982). In addition she rowed for the University of California in the national collegiate championships, winning an NCAA Championship in the 1980 coxless fours. One of her children, Taylor Phinney, has become a top track cyclist, winning the individual pursuit world championship in 2009-10.
 

Born: June 21, 1952 in Chicago, IL
Affiliations: Mt. Prospect Skating Club

Gary Jonland was a top junior speed skater. He was US juvenile champion in 1966, US junior long-track champion in 1968, the 1970 US intermediate short-track champion, and the 1969-70 US intermediate long-track champion. Jonland skated for the Mt. Prospect Skating Club. He competed at the World Championships and World Sprints in both 1972 and 1973, placing 20th at the 1973 World Sprints and 17th at the 1973 Worlds, although he did not qualify for the 10K. His best international distance placement was fourth in the 500 at the 1973 World Championships.

Personal Bests: 500 – 39.7 (1972); 1000 – 1:19.3 (1972); 1500 – 2:03.76 (1992); 5000 – 7:49.4 (1973).

Born: April 19, 1952 in Vienna, Wien, Austria
Died: June 24, 2007 in Tarzana, CA
Affiliations: Ice Club Paradise, CA

Peter Eberling, a native Austrian, had a brief international speed skating career. In the United States, he was second at the indoor championships in 1964-65 and third in 1966. He came to international prominence in 1972, skating 38,8 in an Innsbruck 500 metre race, which ranked him in that season's top 10. His sprint results also qualified him for the Olympics and World Sprint Championships, where he placed 11th and 20th, respectively. After that year, little was heard of Eberling outside the United States, where he kept skating in national events until the late 1970s. Eberling, who had been enrolled in the U.S. Navy, died of a severe ulcer at the age of 55.

Personal Bests: 500 – 38.8 (1972); 1000 – 1:23.9 (1972); 1500 – 2:27.4 (1972).
 

Born: January 12, 1948 (Age 64) in Schenectady, NY
Affiliations: US Air Force

John Wurster won the 1963 US Junior Boys title, but his next US championship would come 13 years later, when he won the 1976 US Senior title. In between he graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and then obtained an MBA. He later became President of Orion Issues Management, which specializes in commercializing new environmental technology. His brother, Richie, also competed in speed skating for the US at the 1968 Winter Olympics.

Personal Bests: 500 – 39.0 (1972); 1000 – 1:23.2 (1972); 1500 – 2:17.38 (1976); 5000 – 9:36.5 (1972); 10000 – 20:04.9 (1972).
 

Born: December 17, 1949 in St. Louis, MO
Affiliations: Metros Speedskating Club, St. Louis

Dan Carroll was one of the first US speed skaters who really emphasized metric long-track skating. He was US Champion in 1971 in long-track, after placing second in 1969-70. Carroll represented the US many times internationally. In addition to his two Winter Olympic appearances, he competed at the 1970-72 and 1975-76 World Championships, and the World Sprints in 1970-72 and 1975. His best finish was sixth all-around at the 1975 World Championships, in which he finished second in the 1,500 m. Carroll also placed ninth at the 1971 World Sprints and the 1976 World Championships. He competed for the Clayton Speed Skating Club and later the Metro Speed Skating Club, coaching the latter club after his career ended. He is a member of the US Speed Skating Hall of Fame.

Personal Bests: 500 – 39.9 (1972); 1000 – 1:19.1 (1976); 1500 – 1:59.77 (1976); 5000 – 7:18.51 (1976); 10000 – 15:19.29 (1976).
 

Born: March 25, 1931 in Detroit, MI
Died: June 26, 2008 (Aged 77) in Lapeer, MI
Affiliations: Detroit Speed Skating Club

Jeanne Omelenchuk won her first national title in cycling, as Jeanne Robinson, before adding speed skating titles later in the 50s. By the time women's speed skating was on the Winter Olympic program in 1960, she was somewhat past her prime, but she still made three Olympic teams, the last in 1972 as a 40-year-old. Omelenchuk graduated from Wayne State University and became an art teacher. But in 1985, she entered politics and won a seat on the Warren City Council. She served in that post for a decade, and also served four years as mayor pro tem. She would eventually be inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, Michigan Amateur Sports Hall of Fame, National Speedskating Hall of Fame, Wayne State University Hall of Fame, and Michigan Women's Hall of Fame.

Personal Bests: 500 – 45.6 (1969); 1000 – 1:32.9 (1972); 1500 – 2:26.9 (1969); 3000 – 5:14.9 (1968).

 

Born: May 19, 1951 in Chicago, IL
Affiliations: Northbrook Speedskating Club, Northbrook
Medals: 1 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze

In 1966, Dianne Holum became the youngest person to ever compete in the World Championships. It was the start of a distinguished speed skating career which saw her win more medals than any U.S. woman in Winter Games history. The 1967 Worlds were the first top international finish for Holum, as she finished third overall. She went on to win two medals at the 1968 Games, and in the interval between Olympics, became less of a sprinter and more of a distance skater. In 1970 and 1971 she was fourth in the Worlds overall, winning the 1,000 meters in 1971. She also had two top 10 finishes at the World Sprints. In 1972 she finally got a gold medal and added a fourth medal with a second place in the Olympic 3,000 meters. After retiring as a competitor, Dianne Holum became a well-known coach. At the 1976 Olympics, she became the first woman to coach the women speed skaters. She numbered among her many pupils two kids from Madison, Wisconsin, named Eric and Beth Heiden.

Personal Bests: 500 – 43.59 (1972); 1000 – 1:28.7 (1972); 1500 – 2:18.51 (1972); 3000 – 4:57.9 (1972).
 

Born: December 29, 1946 (Age 65) in Springfield, IL

Toy Dorgan was on the US national speed skating team in 1967-68. She attended the University of Minnesota, graduating in 1970. Dorgan later emigrated to Australia, marrying Australian Olympic cross-country skier Ross Martin. There she took up cross-country skiing, winning the Australian national title in that sport five times. She also began orienteering, representing Australia internationally in that sport. Dorgan-Martin became a writer, writing a series of children's books on horses and horse riding, called the Taronga Road Riders.

Personal Bests: 500 – 47.9 (1968); 1000 – 1:39.4 (1968); 1500 – 2:33.8 (1968); 3000 – 5:17.6 (1968).
 

Born: January 12, 1948 (Age 64) in Schenectady, NY
Affiliations: US Air Force

John Wurster won the 1963 US Junior Boys title, but his next US championship would come 13 years later, when he won the 1976 US Senior title. In between he graduated from the University of Pittsburgh and then obtained an MBA. He later became President of Orion Issues Management, which specializes in commercializing new environmental technology. His brother, Richie, also competed in speed skating for the US at the 1968 Winter Olympics.

Personal Bests: 500 – 39.0 (1972); 1000 – 1:23.2 (1972); 1500 – 2:17.38 (1976); 5000 – 9:36.5 (1972); 10000 – 20:04.9 (1972).