Bonnie Blair Dream, Distance, Accomplishment 11 Copy quote I never could have achieved the success that I have without setting physical activity and health goals. She dominated the 500-meter and 1,000-meter women's events at three consecutive Olympic Games during her career. She also represented Canada in speed skating in the 1972 games in Sapporo, Japan. She holds five gold medals, for the 500-meter and 1,000-meter events, as well as a bronze medal for the 1,000-meter event. There she won her first Olympic gold medal in the 500 meters and a bronze medal in the 1,000 meter. Also, Jack Sikma, a [1] Her godmother is Canadian speed skater Cathy Priestner. Cloud State Men's Hockey @SCSUHuskies_MH . Bonnie Kathleen Blair is the most decorated woman in Winter Olympic history. She also took these titles in 1995. [37] Blair's success at Lillehammer placed her among the most decorate American Olympians of all time. [50] The pair married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1996. They settled in Milwaukee, where Blair has spent much of her time on the Bonnie Blair Charitable Gift Fund and as a celebrity representative for Olympic sponsors. [3] Early on, Blair competed in "pack style," or short track speed skating, where several skaters race on the ice at once. She is one of the top skaters of her era, and one of the most decorated athletes in Olympic history. As Blair approached the final 400 meters, Mueller gave the signal. The results were impressive. Blair competed for the United States in four Olympics, and in her Olympic career won five gold medals and one bronze medal. Her husband, Dave Cruikshank, was also a speed skater and she served as his technical consultant. Her final, record-breaking time for the 500-meter sprint was 38.99 seconds. [14] After the 1984 Olympics, Blair worked closely with coach Mike Crowe to improve her skating skills to compete with the powerful East German skaters. 1. So, the police department in Champaign stepped in to raise money for her trip, holding a series of raffles and bake sales. [33] The attempt to compete at her fourth Olympics was not without its challenges; the 1993 season was lackluster for Blair. [43] As of 2018, Blair serves on the board of the Pettit National Ice Center. In the summer of 1991 Blair resumed full-time training back in Milwaukee under her new coach, Peter Mueller. "Bonnie Blair," HickokSports.com, http://www.hickoksports.com/biograph/blairbon.shtml (March 10, 2003). Immediate Family: Daughter of ALONZA LONNIE RATLIFF and MAUDE RATLIFF. After the 1994 Olympics, Blair received more honors and product endorsement offers. Professionally, Charlie Blair was an engineer while Eleanor Blair worked in real estate. Sherrow, Victoria. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. In 1989 she won her first world sprint championship. Though she did well at the meet, she did not make the team. In 1985, Blair won the North American indoor speed skating championship, and in 1986, she again won the U.S. indoor title. Blair would also hold a number of world's and American records over the course of her speed skating career. Bonnie Blair Olympic Legend - Part 9 - Lillehammer 1994 Olympic Film | Olympic History 22,552 views Jan 7, 2015 99 Dislike Save Olympics 9.04M subscribers Subscribe to @olympics:. She was only 5'5" and 125-130 lbs. [28], Following the 1988 Olympics, Blair also tried track cycle racing, and was coached by former speed skater and cycling world champion Connie Paraskevin. [24][25] Rothenburger skating first, setting a new world record. "History (Never) Lessens: Bonnie Blair was textbook good, and her legacy still is quoted chapter and verse." "Skating first." Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, January 6, 2002; February 18, 2002. She was the most decorated Winter Olympian in U.S. history when she retired in 1995. At the 1985 National Sports Festival, Blair swept the gold medals in all four women's short-track skating races, and won another gold as a member of a men's 5,000-meter relay team. Bonnie Kathleen Blair (born March 18, 1964) is a retired American speed skater. Bonnie (Blair) Roos. She skated twice around the Pettit National Ice Center for a cheering crowd of ten thousand fans before lighting the Olympic caldron set up at the Center. She has five siblings. In winning the 500- and 1,000-meter speed-skating racesgiving her five career gold medals and a bronze, earned over three sets of gamesBlair proved herself to be the greatest female sprint . Encased in a glass tabletop in her house, Blair's gold medals have become part of her daily landscape. [2] Two of Blair's competitors, who skated after her, subsequently beat her time; thus Blair won the bronze in the 1,000 meters. [32], Her success in the 1992 Olympics led to more attention for Blair. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. Washington Post (February 11, 1994): H5. Mary Blair was 19 when her youngest sibling, Bonnie, was born. Bonnie Blair was born in Cornwall, NY on March 18, 1964. She also won two gold medals at the '92 . Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. It's just you.". [7], She is a member of the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame and the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame. Bonnie Blair At the time, Blair worked as the secretary of the Retail Clerks International Union, which has since become part of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1529. [39][8] There, Blair won the 500 meters with a time of 39.54 seconds. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. [11] Blair had not been not considered a front-runner and later recalled she was happy just to be at the games and see her family in the stands. She contracted a severe case of bronchitis that affected her breathing. Realizing the risk involved in cycling, Blair soon gave up the sport and returned her focus to speed skating. Blair came from a family of avid skaters and began entering races when she was four years old. Bonnie Blair. [31], In her second event, the 1,500 meters, Blair finished 21st. In the 500-meter race she won her first gold medal, defeating the defending champion by .02 seconds and setting a new world record in the process. Perhaps one of the most decorated and honored female athletes of the twentieth century, Bonnie's accomplishments are extensive. The Blair Bunch was back even stronger at the 1992 Games in Albertville, France, with about 45 members swaying in unison in their purple team jackets and singing "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean." Bonnie Blair is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Achieving Your Personal Best. 47 No. After being born in Cornwall, N.Y., Blair moved with her family to the Midwest and was raised in Champaign, Ill. She took to speed skating like her older siblings. She hired a different coach, Nick Thometz, who emphasized something different for Blair: explosive drills over strength and distance training. All these elder siblings became a canopy of extra moms and dads under which Bonnie grew up. She entered her first competition at age four and won her first race at age seven. The trials were a breeze for her. Bonnie Kathleen Blair (born March 18, 1964) is a retired American speed skater. She won gold at the 1988 Olympics in Calgary. In 1986, Blair set her first world's record in the 500 meters. "Olympic Profile: Bonnie Blair; A Life of Skating Leads to Calgary." [5]:44 The breathing problem lingered through the 1991 World Sprint Championships where she finished fifth. . [15] In May 1985, at a time when U.S. speed skating lacked unity, U.S. International Speedskating Association replaced national team coach Dianne Holum with Mike Crowe. She dominated the sprint events at three Olympic Games (1988, 1992, and 1994), winning five gold medals and one bronze. . http://www.imperialoil.ca/thisis/publications/review/2001q4 (January 5, 2003). She won the 500 meters with a time of 39.1 seconds and the 1000 meters with a time of 1:18.74. Encyclopedia of World Biography. By the time Blair was fifteen, she decided to make speed skating her sole sport, training in a vigilant and dedicated fashion. Blair was also the first American speed skater to win in more than one Olympic Games (1988, 1992, and 1994). Bonnie Pointer, a Grammy-winning singer and songwriter who was a founding member of vocal group the Pointer Sisters, has died at the age of 69. . In 1982, when Blair was 18 years old, her trainers wanted to take her to Europe to compete outside of the United States for the first time. Denver Rocky Mountain News (February 15, 2002): 23S. Compare DNA and explore genealogy for Bonnie (Blair) Roos born 1940s including ancestors + children + DNA connections + more in the free family tree community. After the Olympics, Blair continued her education, studying physical education at Montana Tech University. [20] Blair also proved she could beat East-German world champion Karin Enke-Kania in head-to-head match-ups. She went on to ISU to get her degree in criminal justice. Recognized as one of track and field history's most accomplished sprinters, Evelyn Ashford is, Moses, Edwin 1955 She was 16 years old when she began Olympic-style racing, which pits only two racers against each other in a competition based on time. She would win this championship every year through 1994. [2][25] For her second event of the games, Blair had a personal best and briefly set an Olympic record in the 1,000 meters. Sports Illustrated (February 28, 1994): 18. Family (1) Spouse Dave Cruikshank (23 June 1996 - present) (2 children) Trivia (4) Inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2004. . At the beginning of the 2002 Winter Olympics, Blair again took the spotlight when she became the last torchbearer on the Wisconsin segment of the Olympic torch run in January. [1] The U.S. failed to win any speed skating medals at the 1984 Olympics. For nearly a decade betw, Heiden, Eric I'm definitely going to miss hearing the sound of that gun. It was an expensive undertaking, but with the help of her family, friends, and money from the Champaign police department, Blair was able to go. From 1986 to 1988 at the World Sprint Championships, Blair finished second once and third twice. . "Blades of gold." Four of her siblings would hold speedskating titles. The, Parra, Derek: 1970: Athlete 5-time Olympic gold medalist speedskater Bonnie Blair Cruikshank is still hitting the ice at 57-years-old. 5", "Bonnie Blair: Biography from Answers.com", "Thanks to CC hockey for a memorable 3", "Wisconsin GOP lawmakers propose banning transgender athletes from women's sports", World Champions in Short Track Speed Skating Women's Overall, Olympic champions in women's 500 m speed skating, Olympic champions in women's 1000 m speed skating, World champions in women's sprint speed skating, Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year, United States women's national soccer team, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bonnie_Blair&oldid=1132850666, Speed skaters at the 1984 Winter Olympics, Speed skaters at the 1988 Winter Olympics, Speed skaters at the 1992 Winter Olympics, Speed skaters at the 1994 Winter Olympics, Olympic gold medalists for the United States in speed skating, Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in speed skating, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 10 January 2023, at 22:20. "It was a nice ending.". She has also made television commercials for such major corporations as McDonald's and AT&T. The Olympic style favored Blair's small stature and emphasis on technique. She became almost as well known for her entourage of family and friendsa group deemed the Blair Bunch that had grown to more than 60 people by 1994who went with her to each of her Olympic competitions to cheer her on from the stands. Showing Editorial results for bonnie blair. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. Sports Illustrated (December 6, 1987): section 2, p. 10. Her life has been a furious blur of flashing blades,. "Retiring at Top Speed." Blair's athletic achievements, combined with her friendly, down-to-earth manner, earned her recognition from journalists as an "All-American girl." Corrections? Cruikshank's mother is five-time Olympic gold medalist Bonnie Blair and her dad is four-time Olympian Dave Cruikshank. She signed with Advantage International, a sports marketing group, and did a number of commercials endorsements including Jeep, Evian, National Frozen Foods, and Rollerblades. Blair finished fourth in a national sprint competition for cyclists. Edwin Mosess athletic achievement is extraordinary by any standards. . Nobody makes you do it. "Bonnie the blue." "Blair, Bonnie In her teens, Blair began to apply herself to the sport of speed skating as she never had before, largely at the encouragement of her friend Dave Silk, who competed on the men's U.S. team. Phillips, Angus. . See also Alexander Wolff, "Bonnie's Bounty: Unassuming Bonnie Blair Sped to Victory in 1,000 Meters to Become the U.S.'s Most Gilded Woman Olympian Ever," Sports Illustrated (7 Mar. [2][25] Blair's third and final event of the 1988 Winter Olympics was the 1,500 meters, in which she placed fourth. Bonnie Blair. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bonnie-Blair, Bonnie Blair - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Dec 6, 2013. Bonnie graduated from Warren High School in 1969. After a decade in the broadcast booth working as a commentator for the Olympics for the CBC and CTV, Priestner later became associated with the Olympics as a member of the organizing committee for the Calgary games in 1988, Salt Lake City in 2002, and Turin, Italy in 2006. Although Ye claimed the crossover cost her the gold, the referee's rejected China's protest. They saw Blair win two more golds. In March 1995, shortly after winning the World Cup and setting a new world record in the 500-meter event, Blair retired from competitive speed skating. "To mettle the medal." Watch a short video featuring Bonnie Blair. [2][3] To end the games, Blair was chosen to carry the American flag at the closing ceremonies. The . Blair continued to serve on the board for U.S. 9.04M subscribers Subscribe to @olympics: http://oly.ch/Subscribe Highlights as Bonnie Blair takes part in her third Olympic Games. Retrieved February 23, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/sports/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/blair-bonnie. Notable Sports Figures. With a new world record of 39.1 seconds, Blair became the first American woman since 1976 to win a gold medal in speed skating. [24] Blair responded to the challenge with her best start ever in the 500 meters, winning the gold medal in world record time of 39.10 seconds. In early 1995, she set another world's record in the 500 meters skating on the Olympic oval in Calgary where she won her first medal. "Child of innocence." [28] At the event, Blair won the 500 meters twice and finished third and second in two 100 meters races for an overall victory. Moving on, she has a net worth of approximately $1.5 million dollars. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. She knows just a thing or two about U.S. speed skating and the rise of women's sports. She also was a cheerleader and on student council. Training remained her focus, however. Blair was the only American to win two medals at these games, and was given the honor of carrying the American flag at the closing ceremonies. Blair began to succeed on the international speed skating stage. Paavo Nurmi (1897-1973) was one of the greatest distance runners of all time. She first gained acclaim by winning the world short-track title in 1986 at Chamonix, France. Speed skater who received Olympic gold medals in 1988, 1992, and 1994. Bonnie Parker first met Clyde Barrow through a mutual friend in January 1930, when Bonnie was 19 years old. American speed skater Bonnie Blairwas born on the 18 March 1953in Cornwall, New Yorkto Eleanor and Charlie Blair. As a teenager Blair began to take the sport more seriously. When the gun goes off, I don't worry about the person next to me. She agreed to go, but she lacked the backing to finance the trip. Janofsky, Michael. Though she knew she was retiring, she left on top. Bonnie Blair of Champaign, IL, races in the women's 500 meter speed skating event at Hamar Olympic Hall in Hamar, Norway, Saturday, February 19, 1994. New York Times (February 9, 1987): 166. bonnie blair siblingsmeadowglen lane apartments. Janofsky, Michael. "Blair Has a FlairFor Gold." https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/bonnie-blair, "Bonnie Blair Bonnie worked at the Sleezer Home in Freeport until retirement in 2016. At the 1984 Games in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia (now in Bosnia and Herzegovina), she could finish no better than eighth in the 500-metre event. Blair's European trip had the desired effect, sharpening her skills for more competition. [3] She participated in her first skating meet at age 4. 23 Feb. 2023
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