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Russian speed skater In 1986 the International Olympic Committee decided to alternate the Summer and Winter Games every two years, moving the 1996 Winter Games to 1994. An excellent student, she was allowed to graduate halfway through her senior year to focus on her training. Winning doesn't always mean being first. Parrish, Paula. [20] Blair also proved she could beat East-German world champion Karin Enke-Kania in head-to-head match-ups. 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. [37] In addition to the 500 and 1,000 meters races, Blair also competing in the 1,500 meter distance missing the podium with a fourth place finish. She graduated from Centennial High School, and later took some courses at Parkland Junior College in Champaign. She first gained acclaim by winning the world short-track title in 1986 at Chamonix, France. She is one of the top skaters of her era, and one of the most decorated athletes in Olympic history. Encyclopedia of World Biography. Bonnie Blair. Jenkins, Sally. "To mettle the medal." Blair first donned skates at the age of two, and was competing as a speed skater by the age of four. Bonnie Blair Cruikshank. Her husband, Dave Cruikshank, was also a speed skater and she served as his technical consultant. [50] The pair married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1996. Speed skating coach Bob Fenn told Angus Phillips of Washington Post in 1992, "From a technical standpoint, she's the most efficient skater in the whole world. "History (Never) Lessens: Bonnie Blair was textbook good, and her legacy still is quoted chapter and verse." She again won the world sprint title in 1994, also winning the World Cup 500- and 1,000-metre races that year. Search instead in Creative? [40][41] Blair became involved with Right to Play, When the Winter Olympics returned to the United States in 2002, Blair was one of the final torchbearers to carry the Olympic flame into Rice-Eccles Stadium for the opening ceremony in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her hard work paid off when in 1985, she won the U.S. sprint championship. 1958- ", Blair competed as a speed skater one more season following her last Olympic win. Retrieved February 23, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/bonnie-blair. [4] At age 7, Blair won her age group at the Illinois Speed Skating Championship. "Skating first." For nearly a decade betw, Heiden, Eric For Blair, a skater in the prime of her career, the new schedule was an opportunity to try again for Olympic gold. Bonnie Blair, in full Bonnie Kathleen Blair, (born March 18, 1964, Cornwall, New York, U.S.), American speed skater who was one of the leading competitors in the sport. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. Still Blair changed her training a bit. The results were impressive. 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. Bonnie Blair Blair was born on March 18, 1964, in Cornwall, New York, the youngest of six children. Paavo Nurmi (1897-1973) was one of the greatest distance runners of all time. Boston Globe (January 9, 2002): F7. After this, at the age of 31, she felt she was ready to retire from competitive skating. 2. [5]:45 Blair also began to pick-up more endorsements, including sports marketing group Advantage International. 5-time Olympic gold medalist speedskater Bonnie Blair Cruikshank is still hitting the ice at 57-years-old. At fifteen, Blair was named to the U.S. speed skating team. Bonnie Kathleen Blair (born March 18, 1964) is a retired American speed skater. Blair's athletic achievements, combined with her friendly, down-to-earth manner, earned her recognition from journalists as an "All-American girl." Who are Scott disick parents? Fundraising was spearheaded by the Champaign police force in 1982, and Blair received support from such disparate sources as one of her brother's college fraternity brothers, professional basketball player Jack Silma who played with the Milwaukee Bucks. 1957- She won the 1989 World Championship, setting a new world record in the overall event; finished second in 1990; and placed fifth in 1991, her worst finish in six years. Though Blair trained for the Olympics like they were any other meet, she dominated the trials in the 500, 1000, and 1500 meter races. This is an individual sport.". (February 23, 2023). Serendipitously, Milwaukee opened a new indoor skating rink in 1992, allowing her to train there all year. Blair entered the 1988 Olympics in Calgary, Canada, as a veteran of hundreds of races, a world record holder, and the favorite to win the 500-meter event. [34] At the 1994, U.S. Olympic long-track trials at the Pettit National Ice Center, Blair set track records in the first round of the 500 meter and 1,000 meter trails. "The last lap." All these elder siblings became a canopy of extra moms and dads under which Bonnie grew up. [5]:44, Blair again competed at Olympics in 1992, this time held in Albertville, France. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. [8] With her increased focus on the 1984 Olympics, Blair went to train in Europe. New York Times (February 11, 1992): B11. From early in her career, Blair's father was convinced that she would win Olympic Gold. All of Blair's two sisters and three brothers speed skated competitively because of their father. Longman, Jere. ." A short biography of Blair is Cathy Breitenbucher, Bonnie Blair: Golden Streak (1994). Great Women in Sports. [19] Blair held a world record at 500 meters until December 1987 when Christa Rothenburger beat her time at the World Cup. Cazeneuve, Brian. "Yanks on the move." 1994); Steve Rushin, "Child of Innocence: Bonnie Blair Grew up with the Ideal That CompetingNot Just WinningIs Everything," Sports Illustrated (19 Dec. 1994); and Steve Rushin, "The Last Lap: After Racing to Another World Title, Bonnie Blair Leaves the U.S. Bonnie Blair. As the 1992 Winter Olympic Games in Albertville, France, approached, Blair regained her focus on speed skating. [3] She participated in her first skating meet at age 4. Priestner had been a speed skater since her teen years, winning a national championship within a year of taking up the sport. Encyclopedia.com. Chambers Biographical Dictionary. Her final, record-breaking time for the 500-meter sprint was 38.99 seconds. Occupation Singer Family Father - David Glyndwr Hopkins Mother - Elsie Hopkins At the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, Blair again won both the 500- and 1,000-meter races. When was Bonnie Parker born? Bonnie Blair is a retired American speed skater. New York Times (January 16, 2002): D7. Bonnie was something of an afterthought in the Blair family scheme, coming 21 years after Chuck, the Blairs' first child, and seven years after Angela, their fifth. Then she went out and bettered Rothenburger's time by two hundredths of a second to win her first gold medal. She and her husband, fellow speed skater Dave Cruikshank, made their home in Milwaukee, and Blair kept up a heavy travel schedule, flying to different cities around the country to meet various corporate endorsement obligations. Bonnie Tyler is currently 71 according to her birthdate June 08, 1951 Sun Sign Gemini Born Place Skewen, Neath, Wales Nationality Education Bonnie decided to quit school to focus on her music career. Encyclopedia.com. Team", "Winter Olympics: Calgary: BLAIR WITH HER: U.S.'s Leading Skater Hopes She's Worth Her Weight in Gold", "Winter Olympics: In Flash of a Skate, Blair Wins the Gold, Sets Record in 500", "GOLD: Blair has decade of Olympic thoughts to remember", "No Endorsement Windfall Seen For The Stars Of Calgary Games", "Sports World Specials: Cycling: A Smooth-as-Ice Switch", "The Olympics Winter Games at Albertville: Blair Is Golden for 500 Meters: Speedskating: In a popular victory, she becomes the first woman to win the event in consecutive Olympics", "Blair Wins Second Gold by a Skate: Speedskating: She beats Ye by 0.02 seconds to become most decorated U.S. woman in Winter Olympics history", "SPEEDSKATING: Blair Pushes Herself to Two Records", "ESPN Classic - Blair marches to record fifth gold medal", "Blair earns high five in Olympic farewell LIillehammer '94", "How speed skaters and Right to Play are inspiring kids around the world", "New Blair on big oval: Bonnie's daughter is a speedskater", "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement", "Notable US Olympic Hall of Fame inductees", "Bonnie Blair Cruikshank paints star on Flag of Hope", "Cover Story: Weddings of the Year Vol. Realizing that success required both dedication and sacrifice, she gave up her spot on the Centennial High School cheerleading team to focus on skating and competitions. 47 No. "Bonnie Blair [5]:45 After the Olympics, Blair moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to train at the newly opened Pettit International Ice Center. Moving on, she has a net worth of approximately $1.5 million dollars. Witteman, Paul A. ." "Bonnie Blair is a 5-4 Colossus on Skates." Thus, the next Winter Games would be held in February 1994. She also set a record in the 1000 meters with a time of 1:19.3. Blair, whose stage and screen career spanned eight decades, died early on Thursday morning. [1][3] Already a hobby for her siblings, Bonnie first tried skating at age two. Blair continued to have success on the international level, though she also challenged herself to find ways to win. 1939- Realizing the risk involved in cycling, Blair soon gave up the sport and returned her focus to speed skating. team. 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. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2001. When Bonnie Blair was born on 1 March 1928, in Magoffin, Kentucky, United States, her father, Samuel Blair, was 46 and her mother, Louise Gambill, was 35. Bonnie Blair Sports, Goal, Physical Attraction 15 Copy quote Four key words--helped make my dreams come true. Most of all, she told Karen Rosen in the Atlanta Journal and Constitution in 1998, "I'm really grateful for VCRs so I can go back and relive it. Bonnie Blairwas raised in Champaign, Illinois. The Life Summary of Bonnie. The youngster was named for a close family friend, who was also a skater. She contracted a severe case of bronchitis that affected her breathing. Blair competed for the United States in four Olympics, winning five gold medals and one bronze medal. [53][44] Blair's daughter competed at the 2018 United States Olympic speed skating trials at the 500 meter distance, held at Pettit National Ice Center. A new record and a gold medal At the 1988 Olympic Games in Calgary, she watched as Christa Rothenburger broke the world record at 500m. Facing a Big Chill in Her Sport," Sports Illustrated (27 Feb. 1995). Bonnie Hoellein - Net Worth 2023. Blair was born on March 18, 1964, in Cornwall, New York, the youngest of six children. In 1989 she won her first world sprint championship. She was an exceptionally consistent skater, able to maintain an accentuated crouch and a smooth rhythm in her strides throughout a race, while other skaters typically lost time to momentary lapses in their technique. Updates? In December, Blair Cruikshank competed at the USA Speedskating Long Track National Championships in Utah. She dominated the sprint events at three Olympic Games (1988, 1992, and 1994), winning five gold medals and one bronze. Sports Illustrated (January 20, 1997): 4. 18 March 1964 in Cornwall, New York), speed skater who dominated the sport between 1986 and 1995, winning five gold medals in three consecutive Winter Olympics. She began training with Cathy Priestner, who had won a silver medal in speed skating for Canada in the 1976 games, at the University of Illinois rink. Copyright 2023 Web Solutions LLC. [51][52] Grant Cruikshank played hockey at Colorado College and as of 2021 for the University of Minnesota. Noden, Merrell. Wolff, Alexander. (February 23, 2023). Now unquestionably a star, in 1994 Blair went on to her third Winter Olympics, which were held in Lille-hammer, Norway. [43] As of 2018, Blair serves on the board of the Pettit National Ice Center. Bonnie Blair C Retweeted. Blair finished fourth in a national sprint competition for cyclists. One of Blair's most influential coaches was Cathy Priestner (later known as Cathy Priestner-Allinger when she married Todd Allinger in 1986). [8] Blair took classes at Parkland College, although college classes were less of a priority than training and she did not receive a degree. . This sensational run made Blair the top gold medalist at the festival. The placement was due in part to the strategy of her coach, Peter Mueller; Mueller told Blair he would give her a signal to coast if he felt she was not on pace for a podium finish, allowing her to conserve energy. Terms of Use, Lee-Kyung Chun Biography - Olympic Career, Post Olympic Achievements, Chronology, Further Information, Awards And Accomplishments, Bonnie Blair - Competed At Olympic Trials, Bonnie Blair - Related Biography: Coach Cathy Priestner, Bonnie Blair - Awards And Accomplishments. 5 What actress portrayed. The only real competition came internationally, but because of her lack of training in 1989-91, she did not have much success in races in 1990-91. Sports Illustrated (March 6, 1989): 32. After the turn of the twenty-first century, Blair still found herself involved in speed skating, even though she no longer competed. Priestner had Blair train in the Olympic style on both short and long-track races. That's where Bonnie, born in Illinois, moved to train. They have two children. She would win this championship every year through 1994. She went on to ISU to get her degree in criminal justice. "Bonnie Blair She was the daughter of Charlie and Eleanor Blair, who raised their large Catholic family in Champaign, Illinois. [12][13] She failed to medal and finished eighth in the 500 meters. [27] Blair also took a break from skating, enrolling in Montana Technological University. She remained connected to speed skating by serving as a coach and conducting clinics. In 1989, she won the World Sprint Championships, though she did not train as hard as she had for the Olympics. Looney, Douglas S. "Sprinting to Calgary." "Olympic Profile: Bonnie Blair; A Life of Skating Leads to Calgary." Bonnie Blair, 92, of Dawson Springs, KY, died Friday, January 9, 2004, at 7:13 A.M., at her residence. Scottish-born prime minister of Great Britain British politician and Prime Minister Tony Blair represented a new era in Parliament and made major changes to the Labour Party along the way. Bonnie Kathleen Blair (born March 18, 1964) is a retired American speed skater. "Blair has not Slowed Down: Family is her Life, Not Speed skating." Bonnie Blair is a retired American speed skater who was one of the leading competitors in the sport. Time (February 24, 1992): 54. She repeated her victories in both 500m and 1000m speed. [11] Her time was only 0.02 seconds faster than Ye. Encyclopedia of Women and Sports. Blair returned to the Olympics in 1988 competing in long-track at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. She dominated the sprint events at three Olympic Games (1988, 1992, and 1994), winning five gold medals and one bronze. . Of the six, five were gold, making Blair the only American woman to ever win five gold medals in the games. 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. 23 Feb. 2023 . Many athletes wait too long, until their skills have begun to melt and slide like snow from a roof. In fact, Charlie Blair had his children at a competition while his youngest child was being born. [26] Blair again won gold in the 500 meters, becoming the first woman to win the event in back to back Olympics, with a time of 40.33 seconds. 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. ABC-CLIO, 1996. [32] Blair won her second gold of the 1992 Olympics in the 1,000 meters (1:21.90). Bonnie Blair President: V B S, INC: Ste 105-148, Gilbert, AZ 85297 3733 E Janelle Ct, Gilbert, AZ 85297: Bonnie Blair President, Chief Executive Officer: Happy Helpers Inc Help Supply Services: 137 N Main St, Fairport, NY 14450 54 West Ave, Ste 2, Fairport, NY 14450 (585) 425-2680: Bonnie B. Blair Principal: Bonnie Blair Massage Misc Personal . We can also contact her at bonnie.hoellein@gmail.com for more information. A year later she twice set a world record for the 500-metre event on the standard circuit. Though four of Blair's other siblings went on to win national championships, it was Blair who did the best as a competitive speed skater. Wolff, Alexander. [1] The U.S. failed to win any speed skating medals at the 1984 Olympics. Myrtle was born on July 26 1899, in Manassa, Conejos, Colorado, United States. Blair's last year as a competitive speed skater was 1995. [2] Blair's family friends in the stands, affectionately known as the "Blair Bunch," became a staple of her competitive career. (The International Olympic Committee wanted Summer and Winter Olympic Games to alternate every two years.) [2][25] Blair's third and final event of the 1988 Winter Olympics was the 1,500 meters, in which she placed fourth. She also tried her hand at gymnastics for a while. Best. Blair won the World Sprint Championships, then retired on March 18, 1995, after the competition held on her home ice in Milwaukee. Edwin Mosess athletic achievement is extraordinary by any standards. She was a member of four U.S. Olympic Speed Skating Teams, winner of five Olympic gold medals between 1988 and 1994 . After the 1994 Olympics, Blair continued to compete. Born in Cornwall, New York on March 18, 1964 as the youngest of six children, her family moved to Champaign, Illinois and Bonnie first donned skates at the age of two and was competing as a speed skater by the age of four. After retiring from speed skating, Blair became a motivational speaker. Perhaps one of the most decorated and honored female athletes of the twentieth century, Bonnie's accomplishments are extensive. Despite unfavorable weather conditions at the outdoor rink, Blair won the 500-meter race. [24][25] Rothenburger skating first, setting a new world record. Bonnie Parker was born on October 1, 1910. Notable Sports Figures. Blairs greatest success came at the Olympics, though she started slowly. Ye Qiaobo was expected to challenge Bonnie Blair in Calgary's 1988 Olympic . Atlanta Journal and Constitution, February 9, 1998. She received help from the local Champaign community. Encased in a glass tabletop in her house, Blair's gold medals have become part of her daily landscape. [16] Blair won both the 500 meter and 1500 meter at the West Allis event, and was considered one of the U.S. team's strongest medal contenders. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Bonnie E. (Hankins) Blair. She is one of the top skaters of her era, and one of the most decorated athletes in Olympic history. She counts herself lucky in being able to maintain such an active retirement, noting that not all Olympic gold medalists have been as fortunate. Speed skater Bonnie Blair started racing at the age of four and went on to be one of the fastest competitors of her time (via Britannica ). Her 1.38 second margin in the 1,000 meters race is the largest margin of victory in the history of the event. Blair also won gold in the 1000 meter race. So, the police department in Champaign stepped in to raise money for her trip, holding a series of raffles and bake sales. Another problem for Blair was the lack of competition among the American women speed skaters in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She lived in Whitesburg, Letcher, Kentucky, United States for about 10 . Brownlee, Shannon. 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. She cut back on her skating and took up competitive bicycle racing. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Cycling became part of Blair's speed skating training as both sports utilized the same muscle groups. At her peak, she considered the fastest woman in the world in speed skating. Father's influence Anthony Charles Lynton Blair was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on May 6, 1953. "Glory and gloom." "He's the hardest worker on the team," Blair later told Angus Phillips in the Washington Post, "and he got me into that, too. Blair was born on March 18, 1964, in Cornwall, New York, the youngest of six children. For the American actress Bonnie Blair Brown, see, Early career and first Olympics (19841986), Rise and becoming an Olympic medalist (19871989), List of multiple Olympic gold medalists in one event, "ESPN Classic - Blair is special but she doesn't know it", "Champaign's Bonnie Blair is, Quite Simply, Just a Good Skate", "Retiring at Top Speed; With Blair, Winning Comes First, Then the Party", "Parkland College Alumni Association - Notable Alumni Stories", "Coach Gets U.s. Speedskating Team Off Thin Ice", "Washingtonpost.com: Blair Wins 1,000, Sets Gold Record for U.S. Women", "Bonnie Blair shares the experience of her first Olympic Games, the ones in Sarajevo - Sarajevo Times", "World Cup Speed Skating: Bonnie Blair Derails East German Sweep", "Short-track Speedskating Long On Thrills", "Biographies & Statistics: 500m Ladies World Record Progression", "Blair, Jansen Top Speed Skaters in 500 for Second Night in Row", "Olympic Speed Skating Trials: Mary Docter Earns Spot on U.S. Bonnie Blair was born on 18 March, 1964 in Cornwall, New York, United States, is an American speed skater. She was only 5'5" and 125-130 lbs. https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/blair-bonnie, "Blair, Bonnie When Bonnie Blair was born on 9 August 1914, in Letcher, Kentucky, United States, her father, William Blair, was 31 and her mother, Delia Pratt, was 35. Blair would also hold a number of world's and American records over the course of her speed skating career. Born December 29, 1911, in Hopkins County, KY, she was the daughter of the late Thomas Monroe Dockery and Thurman Fox Dockery. Petruso, A. Parry, Melanie, ed. New York Times (February 9, 1987): 166. Also in 1984, Blair competed at the Winter Olympics held in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. [5]:44, The 1990-1991 season had setbacks for Blair. Blair lives in Delafield, Wisconsin, with her husband and their son Grant and daughter Blair. She is one of the top skaters of her era, and one of the most decorated athletes in Olympic history. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. She became the first American woman to win five gold Olympic medals and the first American Winter Olympian to win six career medals. Cloud State Men's Hockey @SCSUHuskies_MH . She also was a cheerleader and on student council. St. Explore Bonnie Blair Wiki Age, Height, Biography as Wikipedia, Husband, Family relation. But Dave gave me real direction.". [28] At the event, Blair won the 500 meters twice and finished third and second in two 100 meters races for an overall victory. For her success, Blair was named the Babe Zaharis Female Amateur Athlete of the Year and sportswoman of the Year by Sports Illustrated for 1994. American track and field athlete Her win in the 500-meter event broke the world record, which had been set only minutes before by the East German skater Christa Rothenburger. 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. 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. [7][9], Blair made her international competitive debut at the 1984 World Sprinting Championships where she placed tenth. I just want to go fast. When training in Milwaukee, she enrolled at Parkland College but did not graduate. Sports Illustrated (December 6, 1987): section 2, p. 10. Bonnie Blair. The trials were a breeze for her. Encyclopedia.com. Petruso, A. . They saw Blair win two more golds. However, the date of retrieval is often important. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bonnie-Blair, Bonnie Blair - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). [28] Blair was back to competing later in the season and won the 1989 World Sprint Championships held in Heerenveen, Netherlands. Her stellar performance at the 1992 Olympics also earned Blair the Sullivan Award as the Best Amateur Athlete in the United States. . Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. It was another first for a female athleteno other woman had ever won five Olympic gold medals for individual events. Bonnie Kathleen Blair (born March 18, 1964) is a retired American speed skater. [7], She is a member of the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame and the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame. "Blair, Bonnie [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. Janofsky, Michael. Retrieved February 23, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/blair-bonnie. 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. "Whooosh!." During this last season, she shattered her world record time for the 500-meter sprint twice. Blair began to succeed on the international speed skating stage. Time (March 7, 1988): 69. Chambers, 1997. At the 1992 Games in Albertville, France, she captured the gold medal in both the 500- and 1,000-metre competitions, a feat that she repeated at the 1994 Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway. When Derek Parra set a new world record in the men's 1,500-meter speedskating competition at the 2002 Winter Olympics, h, Paavo Nurmi Blair won two gold medals in the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville and her final two Olympic gold medals at the 1994 Lillehammer games. Blair made her Olympic debut in Sarajevo in 1984 where she finished eighth in the 500 meters. Encyclopedia of World Biography. In Olympic style, skaters skated in pairs against the clock. In 1993 and 1994, she won gold medals at the World Championships in 500 meters. 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. Bonnie Blair, in full Bonnie Kathleen Blair, (born March 18, 1964, Cornwall, New York, U.S.), American speed skater who was one of the leading competitors in the sport. She and Apolo Anton Ohno are both world-famous speed skaters. Learn How rich is She in this year and how She spends money? She was the daughter of Charlie and Eleanor Blair, who raised their large Catholic family in Champaign, Illinois. Ye trained by watching tapes of Blair. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. She was born to Wayne and Delma (Guenzler) Blair on June 9 th 1951. Though she knew she was retiring, she left on top. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. [15], A strong performance at the United States International Skating Association Metric All-Around Championships, held in West Allis, Wisconsin, earned Blair a spot on the U.S. long track women's sprint team for the 1985 World Championships. Blair was the youngest of six children of Charlie, a civil engineer, and Eleanor Blair, a homemaker. 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:. "A Bonnie blare." In addition to her ongoing endorsement commitments, Blair serves as a sports commentator on the ABC television network and sits on the board of directors of the U.S. speed skating team. Speed skating and also worked for the Olympic Committee. Blair later ran on her high school track team, where, she later claimed, she did not stand out among her peers. In 2021, Blair spoke out in opposition to allowing male-to-female transgender athletes to participate in organized athletics.[54]. seventeenth century), https://www.encyclopedia.com/sports/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/blair-bonnie, http://www.hickoksports.com/biograph/blairbon.shtml, http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0109013.html, https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/bonnie-blair, https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/blair-bonnie, Begins competing as member of national speed skating team, Competes at the Olympic trials, but does not make team, Wins Olympic gold and bronze at Winter Olympic Games, Wins two Olympic golds at Winter Olympic Games, Retires from competitive speed skating; becomes motivational speaker, Marries speed skater Dave Cruikshank on June 23, Won Illinois state championship in speed skating for age group, Won gold medal in Olympics speed skating in 500 meters, Won gold medals in 500 meter and 1000 meter at Olympics in speed skating, Won gold in 500 meters at World Championships, Won gold medals in 500 meters and 1000 meters at Winter Olympic Games in speed skating; won gold in 500 meters and 1000 at World Sprint Championships and World Cup; named Babe Zaharis Female Amateur Athlete of the Year; named Sportswoman of the Year by Women's Sports Foundation, Set 500 meters speed skating world record at Calgary; retired in March as speed skater; named Sportswoman of the Year by Women's Sports Foundation; won world sprint championship, Given Sports Humanitarian Award, World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame.