Bonnie Blair

Bonnie Kathleen Blair (born March 18, 1964) is a retired American speed skater.

She is one of the top skaters of her era, and one of the most decorated athletes in Olympic history.

Blair competed for the United States in four Olympics, winning five gold medals and one bronze medal.

It wasn't until 1979 when Olympic medalist Cathy Priestner Faminow became Blair's coach that Blair switched from pack style to long track speed skating in which skaters compete for the fastest time.

At age 15, Blair tried out for the national team, earning a spot on her first attempt.

She completed her high school diploma through the mail in 1982.

She moved to the Milwaukee area to train with the United States national speed skating team, living with a family friend while she trained.

Blair took classes at Parkland College, although college classes were less of a priority than training and she did not receive a degree.

Blair made her Olympic debut in Sarajevo in 1984 where she finished eighth in the 500 meters.

At the time, Blair trained in both short-track and long-track speed skating.

With her increased focus on the 1984 Olympics, Blair went to train in Europe.

To finance the expense of training in Europe, the Champaign Policemen's Benevolent Association began helping to sponsor Blair.

Blair made her international competitive debut at the 1984 World Sprinting Championships where she placed tenth.

Later that year, Blair appeared at her first Olympic games at age 19 in Sarajevo.

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 failed to medal and finished eighth in the 500 meters.

The U.S. failed to win any speed skating medals at the 1984 Olympics.

After the 1984 Olympics, Blair worked closely with coach Mike Crowe to improve her skating skills to compete with the powerful East German skaters.

Blair won events at 1984, 1985 and 1986 short-track world championships and was the 1986 overall short-track world champion.

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 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.

On the 1985-1986 World Cup Circuit, Blair finished fourth in four distances: the 500 meter, 1,000 meter, and 1,500 meter.

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.

During this time, Blair trained in both short-track and long-track.

She won the 1986 short-track world championship.

Blair returned to the Olympics in 1988 competing in long-track at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.

There she won her first Olympic gold medal in the 500 meters and a bronze medal in the 1,000 meter.

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 continued competing through 1995 when the World Championships were held in Milwaukee, finally retiring in March 1995.

After retiring from speed skating, Blair became a motivational speaker.

She has been inducted into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame, the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame, and the United States Olympic Hall of Fame.

Blair was born in Cornwall, New York to Charlie and Eleanor Blair.

She was the youngest of six children.

Her godmother is Canadian speed skater Cathy Priestner.

The family moved to Champaign, Illinois when Bonnie was a toddler.

Already a hobby for her siblings, Bonnie first tried skating at age two.

She participated in her first skating meet at age 4.

Early on, Blair competed in "pack style," or short track speed skating, where several skaters race on the ice at once.

At age 7, Blair won her age group at the Illinois Speed Skating Championship.

She attended Jefferson Middle School and later Centennial High School in Champaign In addition to skating, Blair was also a cheer leader and a member of the student council.