Christensen, Karen, et al., eds. All of Blair's two sisters and three brothers speed skated competitively because of their father. In Olympic style, skaters skated in pairs against the clock. She was named as the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year and the USOC Sportswoman of the Year. Blair was born on March 18, 1964, in Cornwall, New York, the youngest of six children. 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. 5-time Olympic gold medalist speedskater Bonnie Blair Cruikshank is still hitting the ice at 57-years-old. Serendipitously, Milwaukee opened a new indoor skating rink in 1992, allowing her to train there all year. Professionally, Charlie Blair was an engineer while Eleanor Blair worked in real estate. "Skating first." Blair would in later years recall that first Olympic gold medal victory as the high point of her career. Also in 1984, Blair competed at the Winter Olympics held in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. [15], 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. Place of Burial: Paintsville, Johnson, Kentucky, United States. This is an individual sport.". Janofsky, Michael. The year following her return from Europe, she won the 1983 U.S. indoor speed skating championship, a title she won again in 1984. When Bonnie Blair was born on 1 March 1928, in Magoffin, Kentucky, United States, her father, Samuel Blair, was 46 and her mother, Louise Gambill, was 35. Janofsky, Michael. Sports Illustrated named Blair their Sportswoman of the Year for 1994. 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 . Blair knew how to win and took advantage of it. Boston Globe (January 9, 2002): F7. She is one of the top skaters of her era, and one of the most decorated athletes in Olympic history. She entered her first competition at age four and won her first race at age seven. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures, Skoblikova, Lydia She was only 5'5" and 125-130 lbs. Most of all, she told Karen Rosen in the Atlanta Journal and Constitution in 1998, "I'm really grateful for VCRs so I can go back and relive it. Encyclopedia.com. places to practice were in Europe. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. Bonnie Blair C Retweeted. "Whooosh!." In 1985, Blair won the North American indoor speed skating championship, and in 1986, she again won the U.S. indoor title. Bonnie Blair was born in Cornwall, NY on March 18, 1964. [28], Following the 1988 Olympics, Blair also tried track cycle racing, and was coached by former speed skater and cycling world champion Connie Paraskevin. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. [4] At age 7, Blair won her age group at the Illinois Speed Skating Championship. "Blair, Bonnie After this, at the age of 31, she felt she was ready to retire from competitive skating. From 1986 to 1988 at the World Sprint Championships, Blair finished second once and third twice. Also at the 1988 Olympics, Blair won the bronze medal for the 1,000-meter event. [28] At the event, Blair won the 500 meters twice and finished third and second in two 100 meters races for an overall victory. Blair was touched by the adulations of the crowd, saying that she had never heard any group of spectators cheer so hard for her. Reilly, Rick. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Jenkins, Sally. Blair has also become an accomplished motivational speaker, addressing audiences on such topics as "Achieving Your Personal Best." 9.04M subscribers Subscribe to @olympics: http://oly.ch/Subscribe Highlights as Bonnie Blair takes part in her third Olympic Games. 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 won her first gold medal at the 1988 Winter Olympics held in Calgary, Canada. Phillips, Angus. [26], Despite her success at the 1988 Olympics, Blair did not enjoy a windfall from endorsements. Blair made the 1984 U.S. Olympic team and competed in the 500-meter event at the Winter Games in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Petruso, A. Fundraising was spearheaded by the Champaign police force in 1982, and Blair received support from such disparate sources as one of her brother's college fraternity brothers, professional basketball player Jack Silma who played with the Milwaukee Bucks. 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. She contracted a severe case of bronchitis that affected her breathing. [42] As of 2002, Blair served on U.S. Speedskating's board of directors. They settled in Milwaukee, where Blair has spent much of her time on the Bonnie Blair Charitable Gift Fund and as a celebrity representative for Olympic sponsors. Bonnie Kathleen Blair During this last season, she shattered her world record time for the 500-meter sprint twice. Explore Bonnie Blair Wiki Age, Height, Biography as Wikipedia, Husband, Family relation. . [1] Her godmother is Canadian speed skater Cathy Priestner. 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. She is one of the top skaters of her era, and one of the most decorated athletes in Olympic history. Encyclopedia.com. In Champaign, I'd miss a workout or two. Retton's all . To celebrate, she climbed into the stands, still wearing her skates, to hug her family and friends. [7][39] Less than a month after Lillehammer Olympics, Blair set another world record in the 500 meters, becoming the first female to complete the race in under 39 seconds, achieving a time of 38.99 seconds. Bonnie Blair. She was born to Wayne and Delma (Guenzler) Blair on June 9 th 1951. "People on the outside are like, 'Your mom is Bonnie Blair!' " Cruikshank said. New York Times (February 11, 1992): B11. Blair finished fourth in a national sprint competition for cyclists. She won the 1986 short-track world championship. For Blair, a skater in the prime of her career, the new schedule was an opportunity to try again for Olympic gold. Sports Illustrated (January 15, 1990): 92. In early 1995, she set another world's record in the 500 meters skating on the Olympic oval in Calgary where she won her first medal. [24][25] Rothenburger skating first, setting a new world record. Bonnie Kathleen Blair (born March 18, 1964) is a retired American speed skater. Blair was also the first American speed skater to win in more than one Olympic Games (1988, 1992, and 1994). . During the Olympics, Blair was given the nickname "Bonnie the Blur." 12. ." http://www.imperialoil.ca/thisis/publications/review/2001q4 (January 5, 2003). . Family (1) Spouse Dave Cruikshank (23 June 1996 - present) (2 children) Trivia (4) Inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 2004. . [39][8] There, Blair won the 500 meters with a time of 39.54 seconds. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. She became the first American woman to win five gold Olympic medals and the first American Winter Olympian to win six career medals. She stopped training as a skater for a brief period, spending four months training as a cyclist. 5 What actress portrayed. Atlanta Journal and Constitution, February 9, 1998. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Bonnie Blair was born on March 18, 1964 in Cornwall, New York, USA. In 1986 the International Olympic Committee decided to alternate the Summer and Winter Games every two years, moving the 1996 Winter Games to 1994. See also Alexander Wolff, "Bonnie's Bounty: Unassuming Bonnie Blair Sped to Victory in 1,000 Meters to Become the U.S.'s Most Gilded Woman Olympian Ever," Sports Illustrated (7 Mar. This sensational run made Blair the top gold medalist at the festival. Bonnie Blair generally travels from Milwaukee, WI, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances . (With Greg Brown) A Winning Edge, Taylor, 1996. [15] 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. All of Blair's two sisters and three brothers speed skated competitively because of their father. They saw Blair win two more golds. She was the daughter of Charlie and Eleanor Blair, who raised their large Catholic family in Champaign, Illinois. Another problem for Blair was the lack of competition among the American women speed skaters in the late 1980s and early 1990s. World class track-and-field athlete Blair would also hold a number of world's and American records over the course of her speed skating career. Showing Editorial results for bonnie blair. 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. 1994); Steve Rushin, "Child of Innocence: Bonnie Blair Grew up with the Ideal That CompetingNot Just WinningIs Everything," Sports Illustrated (19 Dec. 1994); and Steve Rushin, "The Last Lap: After Racing to Another World Title, Bonnie Blair Leaves the U.S. She dominated the 500-meter and 1,000-meter women's events at three consecutive Olympic Games during her career. "It was a nice ending.". [17], During this time, Blair trained in both short-track and long-track. She would win this championship every year through 1994. She again won the world sprint title in 1994, also winning the World Cup 500- and 1,000-metre races that year. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. [37] Blair won the 1992 Oscar Mathisen Award (being the first female winner of this award). Instead, she skated vicariously through her husband, who competed in international events. Blair was the only American to win two medals at these games, and was given the honor of carrying the American flag at the closing ceremonies. [2][4] She completed her high school diploma through the mail in 1982. American speed skater Bonnie Blair won six medals competing in three Winter Olympics Games, the second most medals won by a woman in the Winter Olympic Games (the first was Lydia Skoblikova). Also, Jack Sikma, a The Blair Bunch was back even stronger at the 1992 Games in Albertville, France, with about 45 members swaying in unison in their purple team jackets and singing "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean." Wolff, Alexander. Noden, Merrell. 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. When Bonnie was still an infant, Charlie, who called the new baby "missy" because the pregnancy was a mistake, took a new job and moved the family to Champaign, Illinois, then considered a mecca for speedskating. Bonnie Blairwas raised in Champaign, Illinois. She was the daughter of Charlie and Eleanor Blair, who raised their large Catholic family in Champaign, Illinois. To win the 500-meter event, Blair beat Chinese skater Ye Qiaobo by 18 hundredths of a second. People Photos Purpose. She won the 1989 World Championship, setting a new world record in the overall event; finished second in 1990; and placed fifth in 1991, her worst finish in six years. After the games ended, she received a number of commercial endorsements that funded her training, including Disney World and other commercials, though these opportunities were not as numerous or long-lived as originally hoped. Sports Illustrated (March 7, 1988): 50. Learn How rich is She in this year and how She spends money? [40][41] Blair became involved with Right to Play, When the Winter Olympics returned to the United States in 2002, Blair was one of the final torchbearers to carry the Olympic flame into Rice-Eccles Stadium for the opening ceremony in Salt Lake City, Utah. Blair later ran on her high school track team, where, she later claimed, she did not stand out among her peers. [5]:45, Back in 1986, the International Olympic Committee voted to stage the Winter Olympics and Summer Olympics in alternating four year cycles. Bonnie Blair. Bonnie Blair was born on 18 March, 1964 in Cornwall, New York, United States, is an American speed skater. A year later she twice set a world record for the 500-metre event on the standard circuit. Bonnie Blair. ." Sports Illustrated (February 28, 1994): 18. Blair trained every morning before school and her discipline paid off; at age fifteen she qualified for the U.S. Olympic trials, but narrowly missed making the team. bonnie blair siblings. A new record and a gold medal At the 1988 Olympic Games in Calgary, she watched as Christa Rothenburger broke the world record at 500m. "Introspective Blair Rebuffs Outside World in Pursuit of Gold." For the American actress Bonnie Blair Brown, see, Early career and first Olympics (19841986), Rise and becoming an Olympic medalist (19871989), List of multiple Olympic gold medalists in one event, "ESPN Classic - Blair is special but she doesn't know it", "Champaign's Bonnie Blair is, Quite Simply, Just a Good Skate", "Retiring at Top Speed; With Blair, Winning Comes First, Then the Party", "Parkland College Alumni Association - Notable Alumni Stories", "Coach Gets U.s. Speedskating Team Off Thin Ice", "Washingtonpost.com: Blair Wins 1,000, Sets Gold Record for U.S. Women", "Bonnie Blair shares the experience of her first Olympic Games, the ones in Sarajevo - Sarajevo Times", "World Cup Speed Skating: Bonnie Blair Derails East German Sweep", "Short-track Speedskating Long On Thrills", "Biographies & Statistics: 500m Ladies World Record Progression", "Blair, Jansen Top Speed Skaters in 500 for Second Night in Row", "Olympic Speed Skating Trials: Mary Docter Earns Spot on U.S. 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. I love to go fast and create the wind. "A Bonnie blare." Death: May 16, 1976 (47) Prestonsburg, floyd, Kentucky, United States. Mary Blair was 19 when her youngest sibling, Bonnie, was born. Mother of bonnie Fay wiszniewski; Private and Private. 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. An excellent student, she was allowed to graduate halfway through her senior year to focus on her training. She went to work coaching the U.S. women's speed skating team, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sports Illustrated for Women, February 2002. American Stock/Getty Images. She also won two gold medals at the '92 . This victory was bittersweet for Blair, since she knew it was to be the last Olympics in which she would compete. They are: dedication, balance, risk, and love. [3] To finance the expense of training in Europe, the Champaign Policemen's Benevolent Association began sponsoring some of Blair. "Blair has not Slowed Down: Family is her Life, Not Speed skating." After the 1994 Olympics, Blair continued to compete. Blair took up speed skating when she was two years old, joining a family of avid speed skaters. Bonnie Blair-Cruikshank's 21-year old daughter, Blair, has tested positive for COVID-19 and will not be able to compete in this week's U.S. long track speedskating Olympic trials at the. Bonnie graduated from Warren High School in 1969. 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. In 1982, when Blair was 18 years old, her trainers wanted to take her to Europe to compete outside of the United States for the first time.