Bonnie Blair

The story of her March 18, 1964 birth sounds like a fairy tale. The heroine's dad, Charlie, who had fathered four speed skaters among his five children, decided it would be better if he took the kids to a meet while mom gave birth. Charlie, the timer at the meet in Yonkers, N.Y., heard the public-address announcer tell the crowd, "It looks like Charlie's family has just added another skater."

That baby became the fastest U.S. speed skater who ever lived.

After being born in Cornwall, N.Y., Bonnie moved with her family to the Midwest and was raised in Champaign, Ill. She took to speed skating like her older siblings and she decided as a teenager to dedicate her life to the sport.

Early in her career she was hard-pressed to pay training and travel expenses. The police department in her family home of Champaign, Ill., came to the rescue with a 10-year fund-raising campaign.

This helped "Bonnie the Blur" become one of the most decorated and admired athletes in Winter Games history, with gold medals in three consecutive Olympics and five overall, plus a bronze. For eight years she dominated the sprint events in women's speed skating, and, at three Olympic Games (1988, 1992, and 1994), she collected five gold medals and one bronze. She is the only U.S. Winter Olympian to win a gold medal in the same event in three consecutive Olympics.

Her awards and accomplishments include: 1992 James L. Sullivan Award as the United States' top amateur athlete, World record holder 500-meter speed skating, Associated Press 1994 Female Athlete of the Year, 1994 Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year, World record-holder for overall points, U.S. National Sprint Champion, 1985-94, U.S. Olympic Committee's Sportswoman of the Year, 1992 and 1994, USOC's Woman Speedskater of the Year, 1985-94, 1994 GLAMOUR magazine's Women of the Year Award.

Bonnie exited at the peak of her powers. On her 31st birthday (March 18, 1995), she had a personal best and set an American record with a 1:18.05 in the 1,000 meters. It was her last race.

In her book, A Winning Edge, Bonnie shares the crossroads that she's faced during her lifetime, the sacrifices made, and the victories that can only be measured in the heart.

Now retired from skating, Bonnie, who married Olympic teammate Dave Cruikshank, earns a living as a motivational speaker to corporations and associations. She also donates her time to a variety of charities that she organizes through the Bonnie Blair Charitable Fund, and has been a tireless fundraiser for the American Brain Tumor Association.

- Learn more

- Learn more

- Learn more