I love to go fast and create the wind. [12][13] She failed to medal and finished eighth in the 500 meters. [39][8] There, Blair won the 500 meters with a time of 39.54 seconds. Blair was also the first American speed skater to win in more than one Olympic Games (1988, 1992, and 1994). Blair's success came despite the fact that she was smaller and lighter than an average female speed skater. All of Blair's two sisters and three brothers speed skated competitively because of their father. She agreed to go, but she lacked the backing to finance the trip. 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. 9 August 1914-21 December 1983 (Age 69) Letcher, Kentucky, United States. With the oval in Milwaukee closed in the off-season, the best 5-time Olympic gold medalist speedskater Bonnie Blair Cruikshank is still hitting the ice at 57-years-old. [5]:45, Back in 1986, the International Olympic Committee voted to stage the Winter Olympics and Summer Olympics in alternating four year cycles. She was born to Wayne and Delma (Guenzler) Blair on June 9 th 1951. Sports Illustrated (March 6, 1989): 32. She entered the Winter Games in Albertville, France, as the favorite in both events. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Showing Editorial results for bonnie blair. Her stellar performance at the 1992 Olympics also earned Blair the Sullivan Award as the Best Amateur Athlete in the United States. Rushin, Steve. 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 ). 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. Olympic speed skating competitions were conducted differently. She also was a cheerleader and on student council. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, James Eugene Blair. A Life Remembered: Eldest Blair sister introduced family to Also at the 1988 Olympics, Blair won the bronze medal for the 1,000-meter event. Blair's introduction to competitive skating was as a pack racer on short tracks where she competed against many people in one race. In winning the 1,000-meter event, Blair again beat Ye, this time by a mere two hundredths of a second. Bonnie Kathleen Blair (born March 18, 1964) is a retired American speedskater. "Blair, Bonnie She also set a world record for the 500-meter event in Heerenveen, Holland, at the end of the 1987 season. She graduated from Centennial High School, and later took some courses at Parkland Junior College in Champaign. "Time after time." [19] Blair held a world record at 500 meters until December 1987 when Christa Rothenburger beat her time at the World Cup. In 1987, she won the World Cup in both the 500 and 1000 meter races. Notable Sports Figures. [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. New Blair on big oval: Bonnie's daughter is a speedskater - USA TODAY Alice Blair, an accounts processor and caregiver to siblings and Blair also won gold in the 1000 meter race. 10 Things You May Not Know About Bonnie and Clyde - HISTORY [1][3] Already a hobby for her siblings, Bonnie first tried skating at age two. Join Facebook to connect with Bonnie Blair and others you may know. Her winning time was slower than her record setting pace in Calgary, however, the venue in Albertville was outdoors creating conditions which were less conducive for speed skating. [48][49], Blair began dating fellow Olympic speed skater Dave Cruikshank in 1990. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. Encyclopedia.com. [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. Bonnie Parker was born on October 1, 1910. She hired a different coach, Nick Thometz, who emphasized something different for Blair: explosive drills over strength and distance training. Priestner had been an Olympic medalist herself, winning silver when she represented Canada at the Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, in 1976. Ye Qiaobo was expected to challenge Bonnie Blair in Calgary's 1988 Olympic . Rushin, Steve. Her retirement from the sport, however, created a void in the talent pool of U.S. speed skaters that would be felt in the years to come. She won the 500 meters with a time of 39.1 seconds and the 1000 meters with a time of 1:18.74. The victories led to more endorsements, and even more important to Blair, the popularity of speed skating. The experience strengthened her determination to become an Olympian. Learn How rich is She in this year and how She spends money? While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Sports Illustrated for Women, February 2002. She also took these titles in 1995. ABC-CLIO, 1996. 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 . 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. After the turn of the twenty-first century, Blair still found herself involved in speed skating, even though she no longer competed. She has five siblings. "One-woman ice show." 5 What actress portrayed. [2] The family moved to Champaign, Illinois when Bonnie was a toddler. Bonnie Blair Speed skating champion Bonnie Blair (born 1964) is the most highly decorated American Winter Olympic athlete in history with six medals. Encyclopedia.com. Blair was touched by the adulations of the crowd, saying that she had never heard any group of spectators cheer so hard for her. It's a solitary sport, one in which you can claim all the rewards as your own. Bonnie Hoellein-Bio, Age, Net Worth, Height, Nationality, Facts [19] Although Blair was four inches shorter than Enke-Kania, Blair's technique and fast start time made her a formidable competitor. [14], At the December 1987 U.S. speed skating trials for the 1988 Winter Olympics, Blair led the women's field in the 500,1,000, and 1,500 meters, securing her place on the U.S. Olympic team, as expected. team. World class track-and-field athlete Bonnie Blair - Historical records and family trees - MyHeritage And as far as skating goes, she's got a lot of class.". Bonnie Blair. Blair also won the World Cup points championship 11 times. Shortly after Blair's birth, her family moved to Champaign, Illinois. The Champaign police department sponsored a campaign to support "Champaign Policemen's Favorite Speeder," raising $7,000 for Blair so that she could move to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and practice there with other competitive skaters. Their names are Jeff and Bonnie.. How many siblings does. [8] With her increased focus on the 1984 Olympics, Blair went to train in Europe. When Blair returned to the United States, she increased the intensity of her training, including weight training, running, biking, and rollerblading in addition to skating. Imperial Oil Web Site. [2] Blair's family friends in the stands, affectionately known as the "Blair Bunch," became a staple of her competitive career. 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. Her death was announced in a statement that. [42] As of 2014, Blair worked as a motivational speaker and corporate spokesperson. By the time of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Alberta, Blair was regarded as one of the hopes for the future of American speed skating. 9.04M subscribers Subscribe to @olympics: http://oly.ch/Subscribe Highlights as Bonnie Blair takes part in her third Olympic Games. Since her retirement from competition in 1995 at the age of 31, she has turned her stellar Olympic performances into a successful career as a motivational speaker and corporate spokesperson. Now unquestionably a star, in 1994 Blair went on to her third Winter Olympics, which were held in Lille-hammer, Norway. "I'm like, 'She's my mom.' It's never really a thought, and I guess I won't ever really . I just want to go fast. [5]:45 Blair also began to pick-up more endorsements, including sports marketing group Advantage International. TSHA | Parker, Bonnie - Handbook of Texas Charlie had dreamed of Bonnie becoming an Olympic speed skater. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, January 6, 2002; February 18, 2002. . Blair remained a popular figure in Champaign for many years, and was even given the key to the city. "Repeat for Blair." Blair was forced to rely on superior technique and a ferocious will to win because of her physical limitations. 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. [50] Blair and Cruikshank have two children: a son, Grant, and daughter, Blair. Noden, Merrell. Although she finished eighth in the event, Blair returned to the United States with a renewed dedication to her training and soon began to shine in national competitions. Before American speed skaters Eric Heiden and Bonnie Blair raced to fame as Olympic champions, Soviet sp, Ashford, Evelyn Encyclopedia.com. Explore Bonnie Blair Wiki Age, Height, Biography as Wikipedia, Husband, Family relation. She was named as the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year and the USOC Sportswoman of the Year. [28] She skipped the first two World Cup events of the 1989 season. Perhaps one of the most decorated and honored female athletes of the twentieth century, Bonnie's accomplishments are extensive. and its Licensors But while skating eventually. Alice Blair, 86, of Tioga, an accounts processor for the Aramark Co. and a caregiver to her older siblings and neighbors, died in her sleep Dec. 17, of complications from dementia at Caring Heart Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Germantown. 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. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2001. Mary Blair was 19 when her youngest sibling, Bonnie, was born. Though Blair briefly considered not competing in the 1992 games, she told Douglas S. Looney of Sports Illustrated, "Skating has always been a pleasure and a joy. Encyclopedia.com. Lionel Blair: Veteran TV presenter and dancer dies at 92 Her 1.38 second margin in the 1,000 meters race is the largest margin of victory in the history of the event. Bonnie Blair | YourDictionary Sports Illustrated (February 7, 1994): 90. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bonnie-Blair, Bonnie Blair - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). (She finished fourth in the 1500 meter race.) 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. [2][4] She completed her high school diploma through the mail in 1982. [34] Blair felt as though she had lost her quickness and after failing to rectify the problem with coach Peter Mueller, she switched to Nick Thometz. She dominated the sprint events at three Olympic Games (1988, 1992, and 1994), winning five gold medals and one bronze. Encyclopedia of World Biography. Bonnie Kathleen Blair Four days later, she took the gold in the 1,000-meter race, winning by just two one-hundredths of a second. Blair won her fourth career gold medal with a . Bonnie Blair owns a time-share in the international spotlight: She gets it for two weeks every Olympiad, and then they ask her to leave. 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. What Happened To American Speed Skater Bonnie Blair? - Grunge.com Wolff, Alexander. [36], The 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, were another success for Blair: She again won gold in the 500 meters (39.25) and 1,000 meters (1:18.74)[35] races. View the profiles of people named Bonnie Blair. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Her life has been a furious blur of flashing blades,. All of Blair's two sisters and three brothers speed skated competitively because of their father. Occupation Singer Family Father - David Glyndwr Hopkins Mother - Elsie Hopkins 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. Bonnie E. (Hankins) Blair (born 1944) - Texas [27] Blair also took a break from skating, enrolling in Montana Technological University. She was so small at the time that her parents could not find skates that fit her, so she had to wear shoes under her skates. "Bonnie Blair is a 5-4 Colossus on Skates." [3] She participated in her first skating meet at age 4. "Blair Enjoys Being Olympic Spectator." Having gained five gold medals and one bronze medal in three Olympic Games, Blair became the most decorated female Winter Olympian in U.S. history. She is one of the top skaters of her era, and one of the most decorated athletes in Olympic history. 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. revlon flex conditioner review; is frankenstein 1931 movie public domain; bonnie blair siblings Looney, Douglas S. "Sprinting to Calgary." Great Women in Sports. 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. 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 . 12. Denver Rocky Mountain News (February 15, 2002): 23S. She was a member of four U.S. Olympic Speed Skating Teams, winner of five Olympic gold medals between 1988 and 1994 . She continued to compete in part because there were only two years between these Olympic Games. 23 Feb. 2023
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