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. Sports Illustrated (February 27, 1995): 52. (People jokingly said her job title was "Girl Friday," which is a reference to a character from Daniel Defoe's 18th century book Robinson Crusoe , because . 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. Mary Blair was 19 when her youngest sibling, Bonnie, was born. Biography Bonne Blair began competing as a speed skater when she was four years old. She graduated from Centennial High School, and later took some courses at Parkland Junior College in Champaign. Cruikshank had skated in four Olympics by 1998, and he narrowly missed qualifying for the U.S. team for the 2002 Olympics. After being born in Cornwall, N.Y., Blair moved with her family to the Midwest and was raised in Champaign, Ill. She took to speed skating like her older siblings. With her gold medals and winning personality to match, Blair captured the imagination of the American public, becoming a media darling and a favorite among fans. Blair was also the first American speed skater to win in more than one Olympic Games (1988, 1992, and 1994). Immediate Family: Daughter of ALONZA LONNIE RATLIFF and MAUDE RATLIFF. She was the youngest of six children, all of whom learned to skate at an early age. 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. 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 . 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. Parker, Bonnie (1910-1934). Realizing the risk involved in cycling, Blair soon gave up the sport and returned her focus to speed skating. She skated twice around the Pettit National Ice Center for a cheering crowd of ten thousand fans before lighting the Olympic caldron set up at the Center. Phillips, Angus. From 1986 to 1988 at the World Sprint Championships, Blair finished second once and third twice. Speed skater who won Olympic gold medals in 1988, 1992, and 1994. [31], In her second event, the 1,500 meters, Blair finished 21st. "I'm like, 'She's my mom.' It's never really a thought, and I guess I won't ever really . She became the first American woman to win five gold Olympic medals and the first American Winter Olympian to win six career medals. She went on to ISU to get her degree in criminal justice. 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. The results were impressive. Retton's all . Sports Illustrated (March 7, 1994): 42. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). ." [1][3] Already a hobby for her siblings, Bonnie first tried skating at age two. 9.04M subscribers Subscribe to @olympics: http://oly.ch/Subscribe Highlights as Bonnie Blair takes part in her third Olympic Games. "I just thought it was the right time," she said of her retirement to (February 23, 2023). To become an Olympic champion, Blair needed further training as well as racing experience on the long track. [16][10] On the 1985-1986 World Cup Circuit, Blair finished fourth in four distances: the 500 meter, 1,000 meter, and 1,500 meter. She dominated the sprint events at three Olympic Games (1988, 1992, and 1994), winning five gold medals and one bronze. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. She is one of the top skaters of her era, and one of the most decorated athletes in Olympic history. "Bonnie Blair Blair came from a family of avid skaters and began entering races when she was four years old. Her hard work paid off when in 1985, she won the U.S. sprint championship. Sports Illustrated named Blair their Sportswoman of the Year for 1994. Blair competed for the United States in four Olympics, winning five gold medals and one bronze medal. "Blades of gold." 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. "Bonnie Blair "Bonnie Blair is a 5-4 Colossus on Skates." 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. Bonnie Parker has 2 siblings, a brother, and a sister. 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. Sports Illustrated (February 24, 1992): 18. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. [46] In 2004, she was elected to the United States Olympic Hall of Fame. She did not win any medals, but it proved a valuable experience for her. 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. She did not medal, but finished eighth in the 500-meter race. 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. American speed skater Leo was born on January 4 1898, in Bountiful, Davis, Utah, United States. Newsday (February 6, 1994): 16. Bonnie was born March 18, 1964. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Shortly after Blair's birth, her family moved to Champaign, Illinois. Place of Burial: Paintsville, Johnson, Kentucky, United States. Address: c/o 306 White Pine Rd., Delafield, WI 53018-1124. After the Albertville games ended, Blair again took the opportunity created by her celebrity. [5]:45 Blair also began to pick-up more endorsements, including sports marketing group Advantage International. That is, races that were conducted with a number of skaters competing against each other in a pack. [8] With her increased focus on the 1984 Olympics, Blair went to train in Europe. In 1979 she began training with Cathy Priestner, a Canadian speed skater who had won a silver medal at the 1976 Winter Olympics. . [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. 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. Known as "The Flying Finn" and "The King of Runners," he do, Bonnie and Clyde (Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow), Bonnevault, Pierre (ca. Professionally, Charlie Blair was an engineer while Eleanor Blair worked in real estate. That's where Bonnie, born in Illinois, moved to train. Blair told Shannon Brownlee of Sports Illustrated, "Skating is a joy. Following her retirement from competitive skating, Blair remained extremely active, both in her sport and outside of it. Their names are Jeff and Bonnie.. How many siblings does. Her husband, Dave Cruikshank, was also a speed skater and she served as his technical consultant. (She finished fourth in the 1500 meter race.) She and Apolo Anton Ohno are both world-famous speed skaters. So, the police department in Champaign stepped in to raise money for her trip, holding a series of raffles and bake sales. Blair was born in Cornwall, New York to Charlie and Eleanor Blair. Bonnie Hoellein - Net Worth 2023. Jenkins, Sally. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, January 6, 2002; February 18, 2002. Bonnie Blair. She also won two gold medals at the '92 . Nobody makes you do it. [5]:44 The breathing problem lingered through the 1991 World Sprint Championships where she finished fifth. No matter what the competition is, I try to find a goal that day and better that goal. She received 5 gold medals and one bronze over her profession. She hired a different coach, Nick Thometz, who emphasized something different for Blair: explosive drills over strength and distance training. She won the 500 meters with a time of 39.1 seconds and the 1000 meters with a time of 1:18.74. In 1986, Blair set her first world's record in the 500 meters. Johnson, Anne Janette. Her death was announced in a statement that. [23], Blair went on to the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta, where her first event was the 500 meters. All of Blair's two sisters and three brothers speed skated competitively because of their father. Four days later, she took the gold in the 1,000-meter race, winning by just two one-hundredths of a second.

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