(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 . She was named as the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year and the USOC Sportswoman of the Year. She achieved personal bests in all four of her events and recorded the fastest time of any junior in three of them. However, the date of retrieval is often important. She cut back on her skating and took up competitive bicycle racing. Sports Illustrated (December 6, 1987): section 2, p. 10. After the 1994 Olympics, Blair continued to compete. https://www.encyclopedia.com/sports/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/blair-bonnie, Petruso, A. Sports Illustrated (February 7, 1994): 90. Bonnie Blair. She also won two gold medals at the '92 . Bonnie Blair When Blair returned to the United States, she increased the intensity of her training, including weight training, running, biking, and rollerblading in addition to skating. For example, Blair finished fifth in the 1991 World Sprint Championships, though she was also suffering from bronchitis at the time. Washington Post (January 2, 1992): D3. Ten years later, however, doctors were able to remove about half of the tumor, giving Blair and her family hope for a cure. ." Encyclopedia of World Biography. [21][22] Blair was considered a stronger competitor in the shorter distances, where she was seen as the United States' best chance at a gold medal in speed skating. ." Chambers, 1997. This sensational run made Blair the top gold medalist at the festival. To win the 500-meter event, Blair beat Chinese skater Ye Qiaobo by 18 hundredths of a second. 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. 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. They saw Blair win two more golds. When the 1994 Winter Olympics at Lillehammer, Norway, came around, Blair was again favored to win. . Paavo Nurmi (1897-1973) was one of the greatest distance runners of all time. There she won two more gold medals, for both the 500-meter and the 1,000-meter races. Jenkins, Sally. Blair's introduction to competitive skating was as a pack racer on short tracks where she competed against many people in one race. They have two children. Encyclopedia of World Biography. [42] As of 2014, Blair worked as a motivational speaker and corporate spokesperson. . [5]:45 After the Olympics, Blair moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to train at the newly opened Pettit International Ice Center. [31], In her second event, the 1,500 meters, Blair finished 21st. After the 1994 Olympics, Blair received more honors and product endorsement offers. Myrtle was born on July 26 1899, in Manassa, Conejos, Colorado, United States. [26] At her post race press conference, Blair confirmed Lillehammer would be her last Olympic games.[38]. In 1986, Blair set her first world's record in the 500 meters. Cruikshank had skated in four Olympics by 1998, and he narrowly missed qualifying for the U.S. team for the 2002 Olympics. After retiring from skating, Blair had two children (son Grant and daughter Blair), worked as a motivational speaker, and wrote a book about her accomplishments, A Winning Edge (1996). 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 was born in Cornwall, NY on March 18, 1964. Bonnie Blair Cruikshank. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. (February 23, 2023). Bonnie died wearing a wedding ringbut it wasn't Clyde's. Six days before turning 16, Bonnie married high school classmate Roy Thornton. 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. Her unprecedented Olympic success began at the 1988 Calgary Games. Blair remained a popular figure in Champaign for many years, and was even given the key to the city. American Stock/Getty Images. She won the first American gold of the games when she won the 500 meter race. Encyclopedia of Women and Sports. Speed skating. [16] 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. Speed skater Eric Heiden won five gold medals in the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York. Rushin, Steve. She would win this championship every year through 1994. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. Sports Illustrated (January 27, 1988): 236. Blair continued competing through 1995 when the World Championships were held in Milwaukee, finally retiring in March 1995. . Blair continued to have success on the international level, though she also challenged herself to find ways to win. Bonnie Kathleen Blair (born March 18, 1964) is a retired American speed skater. . She embarked on a whirlwind travel schedule in Europe, taking on the world's best. She was the first Canadian woman to win a medal in speed skating. All of Blair's two sisters and three brothers speed skated competitively because of their father. There she won her first Olympic gold medal in the 500 meters and a bronze medal in the 1,000 meter. Genealogy profile for Bonnie Elaine BlaIr Bonnie Elaine BlaIr (1925 - 2016) - Genealogy Genealogy for Bonnie Elaine BlaIr (1925 - 2016) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. 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. Known as "The Flying Finn" and "The King of Runners," he do, Bonnie and Clyde (Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow), Bonnevault, Pierre (ca. She won five gold medals and one bronze over her career. She knows just a thing or two about U.S. speed skating and the rise of women's sports. Recognized as one of track and field history's most accomplished sprinters, Evelyn Ashford is, Moses, Edwin 1955 [19] She followed up her World Cup titles in by setting her first world record in the 500 meters with a time 39.43 seconds. Bonnie Blair. "I just thought it was the right time," she said of her retirement to ABC-CLIO, 1996. Reilly, Rick. 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. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. Looney, Douglas S. "Bring back Bonnie." Retrieved February 23, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/sports/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/blair-bonnie. Blair knew how to win and took advantage of it. [39] On March 18, 1995, she retired. 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. Sports Illustrated for Women, February 2002. 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. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. [2] Blair's family friends in the stands, affectionately known as the "Blair Bunch," became a staple of her competitive career. [11] Her time was only 0.02 seconds faster than Ye. She was the youngest of six children, all of whom learned to skate at an early age. [14] After the 1984 Olympics, Blair worked closely with coach Mike Crowe to improve her skating skills to compete with the powerful East German skaters. She was the daughter of Charlie and Eleanor Blair, who raised their large Catholic family in Champaign, Illinois. . Sports Illustrated (February 28, 1994): 18. On 23 June 1996 she married Dave Cruikshank, a fellow speed skater on the U.S. Olympic 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. Edwin Mosess athletic achievement is extraordinary by any standards. These dramatic accomplishments earned her the 1992 Sullivan Award as the nation's leading amateur athlete and the 1992 U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) Sportswoman of the Year Award. 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 dedicated her gold medal to her father, Charlie, who had died from lung cancer two years earlier. Because an indoor training oval, Pettit National Ice Center, opened in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Blair moved there from Champaign. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures, Skoblikova, Lydia After the Olympics, Blair continued her education, studying physical education at Montana Tech University. Heather McCabe in the Houston Chronicle. In addition, Blair was active in charity work and continued to do some commercial endorsements for companies like General Mills products at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. login . Blair's only disappointment was finishing 21st in the 1500 meter race. [47] She was awarded a star (#7) on The Flag for Hope on September 29, 2015 in recognition of her outstanding Speed Skating Career and philanthropic efforts. After the turn of the twenty-first century, Blair still found herself involved in speed skating, even though she no longer competed. Bonnie Blair was married to Raymond W. Blair on May 7, 2004 in Johnson County, Texas. 5-time Olympic gold medalist speedskater Bonnie Blair Cruikshank is still hitting the ice at 57-years-old. Blair finished 0.36 seconds ahead of the second best time in the 500 meters. In Olympic style, skaters skated in pairs against the clock. Four of her siblings would hold speedskating titles. Professionally, Charlie Blair was an engineer while Eleanor Blair worked in real estate. Bonnie Blair Dream, Distance, Accomplishment 11 Copy quote I never could have achieved the success that I have without setting physical activity and health goals. As a speed skater, Blair had exemplary technique which contributed to her success. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). She won gold at the 1988 Olympics in Calgary. Bonnie graduated from Warren High School in 1969. 5-time Olympic gold medalist speedskater Bonnie Blair Cruikshank is still hitting the ice at 57-years-old. How many siblings did bonnie Parker have? [50] The pair married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1996. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. At her peak, she considered the fastest woman in the world in speed skating. Their names are Jeff and Bonnie.. How many siblings does. In winning the 500- and 1,000-meter speed-skating racesgiving her five career gold medals and a bronze, earned over three sets of gamesBlair proved herself to be the greatest female sprint . bonnie blair siblingsmeadowglen lane apartments. Bonnie Parker was born on October 1, 1910. Blair wanted to continue to train for the 1984 Olympics and beyond, but had problems getting funding for her training. Despite unfavorable weather conditions at the outdoor rink, Blair won the 500-meter race. Another problem for Blair was the lack of competition among the American women speed skaters in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Her 1.38 second margin in the 1,000 meters race is the largest margin of victory in the history of the event. Before American speed skaters Eric Heiden and Bonnie Blair raced to fame as Olympic champions, Soviet sp, Ashford, Evelyn But Dave gave me real direction.". At fifteen, Blair was named to the U.S. speed skating team. With a new world record of 39.1 seconds, Blair became the first American woman since 1976 to win a gold medal in speed skating. 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. [34][35] At the 1993 World Sprint Championships, Blair did not win any of her four races finishing behind rival Ye Qiabo. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, January 6, 2002; February 18, 2002. She lived up to the hype by winning a gold medal in the 500 meters and a bronze in the 1000 meters. She hired a different coach, Nick Thometz, who emphasized something different for Blair: explosive drills over strength and distance training. Bonnie Blair owns a time-share in the international spotlight: She gets it for two weeks every Olympiad, and then they ask her to leave. It was another first for a female athleteno other woman had ever won five Olympic gold medals for individual events. ." https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/bonnie-blair, "Bonnie Blair Sherrow, Victoria. [19] Blair held a world record at 500 meters until December 1987 when Christa Rothenburger beat her time at the World Cup. 1939- "Blair has not Slowed Down: Family is her Life, Not Speed skating." Blair later credited her husband's continuing involvement in the sport with helping her to make the transition from competition to civilian life. She was considered the best American hope for a medal, and did not disappoint. She won gold at the 1988 Olympics in Calgary. Bonnie Kathleen Blair Facebook gives people the power to. Sports Illustrated (December 19, 1994): 72. Brand, David. Her hard work paid off when in 1985, she won the U.S. sprint championship. [7][9], Blair made her international competitive debut at the 1984 World Sprinting Championships where she placed tenth. 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. Blair had more success in 1984, making the U.S. women's speed skating team for the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Noden, Merrell. Notable Sports Figures. Wife of William Edgar Blair. Bonnie Blair, 92, of Dawson Springs, KY, died Friday, January 9, 2004, at 7:13 A.M., at her residence. At the 1992 Games in Albertville, France, she captured the gold medal in both the 500- and 1,000-metre competitions, a feat that she repeated at the 1994 Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway. Blair won events at 1984, 1985 and 1986 short-track world championships and was the 1986 overall short-track world champion. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Blair competed for the United States in four Olympics, winning five gold medals and one bronze medal. Washington Post (February 11, 1994): H5. She also set a record in the 1000 meters with a time of 1:19.3. Father's influence Anthony Charles Lynton Blair was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on May 6, 1953. Bonnie Blair C Retweeted. In her teens, Blair began to apply herself to the sport of speed skating as she never had before, largely at the encouragement of her friend Dave Silk, who competed on the men's U.S. team. She has also made television commercials for such major corporations as McDonald's and AT&T. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. New York Times (January 16, 2002): D7. Blair lost focus for a while after the death of her father on December 25, 1989. She was the daughter of Charlie and Eleanor Blair, who raised their large Catholic family in Champaign, Illinois. It's just you.". Encyclopedia.com. "Blades of gold." (February 23, 2023). Although she was small for a speed skater, Blairs technique was nearly flawless. American speed skater When was Bonnie Parker born? Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Bonnie E. (Hankins) Blair. . She repeated her victories in both 500m and 1000m speed. 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. She became almost as well known for her entourage of family and friendsa group deemed the Blair Bunch that had grown to more than 60 people by 1994who went with her to each of her Olympic competitions to cheer her on from the stands. [39] The Blair Bunch, the name given to Blair's family and friends, accounted for 12% of the crowd at the Pettit National Ice Center. . By the time Blair was fifteen, she decided to make speed skating her sole sport, training in a vigilant and dedicated fashion. Blair, under the weather with a cough and cold, finished second in the event. She also began serving on the board for U.S. Now unquestionably a star, in 1994 Blair went on to her third Winter Olympics, which were held in Lille-hammer, Norway. Speed skating coach Bob Fenn told Angus Phillips of Washington Post in 1992, "From a technical standpoint, she's the most efficient skater in the whole world. [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. Sports Illustrated (January 20, 1997): 4. Before Priestner, Blair only competed in short-track, pack-style racing. [5]:45, Back in 1986, the International Olympic Committee voted to stage the Winter Olympics and Summer Olympics in alternating four year cycles. Though she did well at the meet, she did not make the team. 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.