USA SPEED SKATING OLYMPIC HISTORY US Olympic History: Speed skating has been the United States’ best sport at the Winter Olympics in terms of medals won, for both men and women. Through 2010 the US has won 67 medals in speed skating, compared to 47 in figure skating and 39 in Alpine skiing. The men have won 40 medals, against 17 in bobsledding and 15 in figure skating and Alpine skiing, while the women have won 27 medals, with 24 in Alpine skiing and 23 in figure skating. The absolute hero of American speed skating is, of course, Eric Heiden, considered the greatest speed skater of all-time, based on his heroics in the 1978-80 period, capped by winning all 5 individual gold medals at the Lake Placid Olympic Games. Among women, however, Bonnie Blair even surpasses Heiden with 6 Olympic medals, 5 of them gold, the most by any American woman in any sport, with Blair winning her medals at 3 Winter Olympics – 1988-1992-1994. There have been many other US speed skating stars, starting in 1932 when Jack Shea and Irving Jaffee each won 2 gold medals at Lake Placid. More recently, Derek Parra and Chad Hedrick won multiple medals in 2002 and 2006. Shani Davis has become the world’s top mid-distance skater in the last 10 years, winning gold medals in the 1,000 metres in 2006-10 and silver medals those years in the 1,500. He returns in 2014, trying to become the first male speed skater to ever win the same event at three consecutive Olympics (Blair did it in the 500 metres in 1988-94). Speed Skating Olympic Program Event Class 1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 Totals 500 metres M x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 22 1,000 metres M x x x x x x x x x x x 11 1,500 metres M x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 22 5,000 metres M x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 22 10,000 metres M x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 22 Team Pursuit M x x x 3 All-Around M x 1 500 metres F x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 15 1,000 metres F x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 15 1,500 metres F x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 15 3,000 metres F x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 15 5,000 metres F x x x x x x x x 8 Team Pursuit F x x x 3 Totals M 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 103 Totals F 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 71 Totals All 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 10 12 12 12 174 US Speed Skating Competitors by Year Year Site Men Women Both 1924 Chamonix 6 --- 6 1928 St. Moritz 4 --- 4 1932 Lake Placid 12 --- 12 1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen 5 --- 5 1948 St. Moritz 9 --- 9 1952 Oslo 7 --- 7 1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo 8 --- 8 1960 Squaw Valley 9 6 15 1964 Innsbruck 9 6 15 1968 Grenoble 9 6 15 1972 Sapporo 9 7 16 1976 Innsbruck 7 7 14 1980 Lake Placid 7 4 11 1984 Sarajevo 6 7 13 1988 Calgary 10 7 17 1992 Albertville 11 8 19 1994 Lillehammer 8 8 16 1998 Nagano 7 7 14 2002 Salt Lake City 10 7 17 2006 Torino 10 8 18 2010 Vancouver 9 9 18 Gross Totals 172 97 269 1 Olympic Winter Games 53 32 85 2 Olympic Winter Games 42 12 54 3 Olympic Winter Games 9 7 16 4 Olympic Winter Games 2 5 7 Actual Totals 106 56 162 Most Medals, USA, Men 5 Eric Heiden 5 Chad Hedrick 4 Shani Davis 3 Joey Cheek 2 Irving Jaffee 2 Jack Shea 2 Terry McDermott 2 Derek Parra 1 Ken Henry 1 Dan Jansen 1 Charley Jewtraw 1 Peter Mueller 1 Casey FitzRandolph 1 Ken Bartholomew 1 Bill Disney 1 Bobby Fitzgerald 1 Don McDermott 1 Eddie Murphy 1 Brian Hansen 1 Jonathan Kuck 1 Trevor Marsicano 1 John O'Neil Farrell 1 Leo Freisinger 1 Dan Immerfall 1 Kip Carpenter Most Gold Medals, USA, Men 5 Eric Heiden 2 Shani Davis 2 Irving Jaffee 2 Jack Shea 1 Chad Hedrick 1 Joey Cheek 1 Terry McDermott 1 Derek Parra 1 Ken Henry 1 Dan Jansen 1 Charley Jewtraw 1 Peter Mueller 1 Casey FitzRandolph Most Medals, USA, Women 6 Bonnie Blair 4 Dianne Holum 3 Chris Witty 3 Sheila Young 3 Leah Poulos-Mueller 2 Anne Henning 2 Jennifer Rodriguez 1 Jenny Fish 1 Mary Meyers 1 Jeanne Ashworth 1 Beth Heiden Most Gold Medals, USA, Women 5 Bonnie Blair 1 Dianne Holum 1 Chris Witty 1 Sheila Young 1 Anne Henning Most Medals, USA, Games, USA, Men 5 Eric Heiden (1980) 3 Chad Hedrick (2006) 2 Irving Jaffee (1932) 2 Jack Shea (1932) 2 Derek Parra (2002) 2 Joey Cheek (2006) 2 Shani Davis (2006) 2 Shani Davis (2010) 2 Chad Hedrick (2010) Most Gold Medals, USA, Games, USA, Men 5 Eric Heiden (1980) 2 Irving Jaffee (1932) 2 Jack Shea (1932) 1 Charley Jewtraw (1924) 1 Ken Henry (1952) 1 Terry McDermott (1964) 1 Peter Mueller (1976) 1 Dan Jansen (1994) 1 Casey FitzRandolph (2002) 1 Derek Parra (2002) 1 Chad Hedrick (2006) 1 Joey Cheek (2006) 1 Shani Davis (2006) 1 Shani Davis (2010) Most Medals, USA, Games, USA, Women 3 Sheila Young (1976) 2 Bonnie Blair (1992) 2 Bonnie Blair (1994) 2 Dianne Holum (1972) 2 Anne Henning (1972) 2 Bonnie Blair (1988) 2 Leah Poulos-Mueller (1980) 2 Dianne Holum (1968) 2 Chris Witty (1998) 2 Jennifer Rodriguez (2002) Most Gold Medals, USA, Games, USA, Women 2 Bonnie Blair (1992) 2 Bonnie Blair (1994) 1 Sheila Young (1976) 1 Dianne Holum (1972) 1 Anne Henning (1972) 1 Bonnie Blair (1988) 1 Chris Witty (2002) Most Appearances, USA, Men 4 KC Boutiette (1994/1998/2002/2006) 4 Dan Jansen (1984/1988/1992/1994) 3 Valentine Bialas (1924/1928/1932) 3 Ken Henry (1948/1952/1956) 3 Terry McDermott (1960/1964/1968) 3 Nick Thometz (1984/1988/1992) 3 Johnny Werket (1948/1952/1956) 3 Mike Woods (1976/1980/1984) 3 Casey FitzRandolph (1998/2002/2006) 3 Dave Cruikshank (1992/1994/1998) 3 Nate Mills (1992/1994/1998) Most Appearances, USA, Women 4 Chris Witty (1994/1998/2002/2006) 4 Mary Docter (1980/1984/1988/1992) 4 Jennifer Rodriguez (1998/2002/2006/2010) 4 Catherine Raney Norman (1998/2002/2006/2010) 4 Bonnie Blair (1984/1988/1992/1994) 3 Jeanne Omelenchuk (1960/1968/1972) 3 Nancy Swider-Peltz (1976/1984/1988) 3 Jeanne Ashworth (1960/1964/1968) 3 Leah Poulos-Mueller (1972/1976/1980) 3 Amy Sannes (1998/2002/2006) 3 Elli Ochowicz (2002/2006/2010) 3 Kristen Talbot (1988/1992/1994) Youngest Competitor, USA, Men 17-242 Eric Heiden (1976-5,000 metres, *14 June 1958) 17-244 Heiden (1976-1,500 metres, *14 June 1958) 18-177 Eddie Rudolph, Jr. (1960-500 metres, *31 August 1941) 18-179 Rudolph, Jr. (1960-1,500 metres, *31 August 1941) 18-238 Dan Jansen (1984-500 metres, *17 June 1965) 18-238 Craig Kressler (1980-5,000 metres, *23 June 1961) 18-241 Kressler (1980-1,000 metres, *23 June 1961) 18-242 Jansen (1984-1,000 metres, *17 June 1965) 18-243 Kressler (1980-1,500 metres, *23 June 1961) 18-245 Kressler (1980-10,000 metres, *23 June 1961) 19-023 Ken Henry (1948-500 metres, *7 January 1929) 19-024 Henry (1948-5,000 metres, *7 January 1929) 19-025 Henry (1948-1,500 metres, *7 January 1929) 19-028 Tom Gray (1964-500 metres, *6 January 1945) 19-077 Mark Greenwald (1988-5,000 metres, *1 December 1968) 19-080 Greenwald (1988-1,500 metres, *1 December 1968) 19-156 Terry McDermott (1960-500 metres, *20 September 1940) 19-170 Brian Hansen (2010-1,500 metres, *3 September 1990) 19-176 Hansen (2010-Team Pursuit (8 laps), *3 September 1990) 19-229 Gary Jonland (1972-1,500 metres, *21 June 1952) Youngest Medalist, USA, Men 19-177 Brian Hansen (2010-Team Pursuit (8 laps), *3 September 1990) 19-350 Jonathan Kuck (2010-Team Pursuit (8 laps), *14 March 1990) 20-004 Leo Freisinger (1936-500 metres, *7 February 1916) 20-058 Dan Immerfall (1976-500 metres, *14 December 1955) 20-328 Trevor Marsicano (2010-Team Pursuit (8 laps), *5 April 1989) Youngest Gold Medalist, USA, Men 21-150 Jack Shea (1932-500 metres, *7 September 1910) 21-151 Shea (1932-1,500 metres, *7 September 1910) 21-200 Peter Mueller (1976-1,000 metres, *27 July 1954) 21-246 Eric Heiden (1980-500 metres, *14 June 1958) 21-247 Heiden (1980-5,000 metres, *14 June 1958) 21-250 Heiden (1980-1,000 metres, *14 June 1958) 21-252 Heiden (1980-1,500 metres, *14 June 1958) 21-254 Heiden (1980-10,000 metres, *14 June 1958) Oldest Competitor, USA, Men 35-343 Derek Parra (2006-1,500 metres, *15 March 1970) 35-337 Parra (2006-Team Pursuit (8 laps), *15 March 1970) 35-310 KC Boutiette (2006-Team Pursuit (8 laps), *11 April 1970) 35-306 Boutiette (2006-5,000 metres, *11 April 1970) 35-259 Bill Carow (1960-500 metres, *9 June 1924) 34-149 Marc Pelchat (2002-500 metres, *16 September 1967) 33-101 Del Lamb (1948-500 metres, *22 October 1914) 32-315 Chad Hedrick (2010-Team Pursuit (8 laps), *17 April 1977) 32-309 Hedrick (2010-1,500 metres, *17 April 1977) 32-306 Hedrick (2010-1,000 metres, *17 April 1977) 32-302 Hedrick (2010-5,000 metres, *17 April 1977) 31-344 Parra (2002-10,000 metres, *15 March 1970) 31-341 Parra (2002-1,500 metres, *15 March 1970) 31-331 Parra (2002-5,000 metres, *15 March 1970) 31-306 Bill Disney (1964-500 metres, *3 April 1932) 31-304 Boutiette (2002-5,000 metres, *11 April 1970) 31-278 Mike Woods (1984-10,000 metres, *15 May 1952) 31-274 Allan Potts (1936-1,500 metres, *14 May 1904) 31-272 Potts (1936-500 metres, *14 May 1904) 31-272 Woods (1984-5,000 metres, *15 May 1952) 31-232 Bill Carow (1956-500 metres, *9 June 1924) Oldest Medalist, USA, Men 32-316 Chad Hedrick (2010-Team Pursuit (8 laps), *17 April 1977) 32-306 Hedrick (2010-1,000 metres, *17 April 1977) 31-341 Derek Parra (2002-1,500 metres, *15 March 1970) 31-331 Parra (2002-5,000 metres, *15 March 1970) 28-313 Hedrick (2006-10,000 metres, *17 April 1977) 28-310 Hedrick (2006-1,500 metres, *17 April 1977) 28-300 Hedrick (2006-5,000 metres, *17 April 1977) 28-246 Dan Jansen (1994-1,000 metres, *17 June 1965) 27-355 Ken Bartholomew (1948-500 metres, *10 February 1920) 27-326 Bill Disney (1960-500 metres, *3 April 1932)