Bonnie Blair

Although her 1984 debut Olympic appearance as a US speed skater didn’t win her a medal, Bonnie Blair would go on to be one of the top winners in the history of the Olympic Games. In 1988, she received her first Olympic medals, a gold and a bronze. In 1992 and 1994, she repeated a two gold medal win each time.

During those years, she also triumphed at the World Championships and other speed skating competitions, making a name for herself as America’s most talented skater. Before her retirement in 1995, she had accumulated total of eight gold medals, four silver medals, and three bronze medals in those international championships.

Bonnie Blair began skating when she was just four years old, was a founding member of her college’s ice arena, and took her spot on the national team at only 15 years old. Throughout her illustrious career, she’s accomplished more than just winning competitions: she made history as the first women to finish a 500-meter race in under 39 seconds, a world record that firmly established her as one of history’s finesrt skaters. Her accolades include the Sullivan Award, the Oscar Matheson Award, and Sports Illustrated Sportswoman of the Year award.

Aside from her amazing career in speed skating, Bonnie Blair found time to make various TV show appearances including The Tonight Show, Road Trip, and On Thin Ice, which will be released in 2019. In retirement, she has founded the Bonnie Blair Charitable Fund, giving motivational speeches while supporting research for cancer and Alzheimer’s.