[5] She attended Jefferson Middle School and later Centennial High School in Champaign[6] In addition to skating, Blair was also a cheer leader and a member of the student council. Bonnie Blair. During the Olympics, Blair was given the nickname "Bonnie the Blur." She was the daughter of Charlie and Eleanor Blair, who raised their large Catholic family in Champaign, Illinois. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/bonnie-blair, "Bonnie Blair Great Women in Sports. Bonnie Blair Quotes - BrainyQuote At the 1984 Games in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia (now in Bosnia and Herzegovina), she could finish no better than eighth in the 500-metre event. They are: dedication, balance, risk, and love. [3] She moved to the Milwaukee area to train with the United States national speed skating team,[7] living with a family friend while she trained. When the 1994 Winter Olympics at Lillehammer, Norway, came around, Blair was again favored to win. [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. Margie Frances Walter Rogers . Cruikshank's mother is five-time Olympic gold medalist Bonnie Blair and her dad is four-time Olympian Dave Cruikshank. The youngster was named for a close family friend, who was also a skater. [2][3] To end the games, Blair was chosen to carry the American flag at the closing ceremonies. After fellow speed skater Johann Olav Koss founded Right to Play in 2000, he recruited Blair to serve as one of the charities first celebrity ambassadors. 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. [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. Bonnie was born March 18, 1964. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bonnie-Blair, Bonnie Blair - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Retrieved February 23, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/bonnie-blair. "I just thought it was the right time," she said of her retirement to [28] Blair was back to competing later in the season and won the 1989 World Sprint Championships held in Heerenveen, Netherlands. Bonnie Tyler is currently 71 according to her birthdate June 08, 1951 Sun Sign Gemini Born Place Skewen, Neath, Wales Nationality Education Bonnie decided to quit school to focus on her music career. She began training with Cathy Priestner, who had won a silver medal in speed skating for Canada in the 1976 games, at the University of Illinois rink. She cut back on her skating and took up competitive bicycle racing. 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. Bonnie Blair Cruikshank. Facing a Big Chill in Her Sport," Sports Illustrated (27 Feb. 1995). In fact, Charlie Blair had his children at a competition while his youngest child was being born. Detroit: Visible Ink Press, 1996. [26], Despite her success at the 1988 Olympics, Blair did not enjoy a windfall from endorsements. As a speed skater, Blair had exemplary technique which contributed to her success. Blair competed for the United States in four Olympics, winning five gold medals and one bronze medal. The results were impressive. Her 1.38 second margin in the 1,000 meters race is the largest margin of victory in the history of the event. For Blair, a skater in the prime of her career, the new schedule was an opportunity to try again for Olympic gold. But Blair is going out on top." 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. At fifteen, Blair was named to the U.S. speed skating team. Death: May 16, 1976 (47) Prestonsburg, floyd, Kentucky, United States. Following her retirement from competitive skating, Blair remained extremely active, both in her sport and outside of it. Bonnie Parker, outlaw partner of Clyde Barrow, was born at Rowena, Texas, on October 1, 1910, to Henry and Emma Parker. "Blair has not Slowed Down: Family is her Life, Not Speed skating." Omissions? 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). Charlie had dreamed of Bonnie becoming an Olympic speed skater. Speed skating and also worked for the Olympic Committee. Bonnie Blair - Historical records and family trees - MyHeritage In the 500-meter race she won her first gold medal, defeating the defending champion by .02 seconds and setting a new world record in the process. The Olympic style favored Blair's small stature and emphasis on technique. Overall, Blair won 4 of 18 women's medals at the 1987 World Cup; East German skaters, including Rothenburger, won 13. Blair later credited her husband's continuing involvement in the sport with helping her to make the transition from competition to civilian life. Petruso, A. [24][25] Rothenburger skating first, setting a new world record. For nearly a decade betw, Heiden, Eric She again won the world sprint title in 1994, also winning the World Cup 500- and 1,000-metre races that year. [2][25] Blair's third and final event of the 1988 Winter Olympics was the 1,500 meters, in which she placed fourth. Bonnie Blair | Biography & Facts | Britannica Sports Illustrated (January 27, 1988): 236. She had an older brother, Hubert (Buster), and a younger sister, Billie. Bonnie Blair (1928-1977) FamilySearch [28] She skipped the first two World Cup events of the 1989 season. Sports Illustrated (December 19, 1994): 72. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. [33] The attempt to compete at her fourth Olympics was not without its challenges; the 1993 season was lackluster for Blair. . [1] The U.S. failed to win any speed skating medals at the 1984 Olympics. She was the daughter of Charlie and Eleanor Blair, who raised their large Catholic family in Champaign, Illinois. The, Parra, Derek: 1970: Athlete . Thus, the next Winter Games would be held in February 1994. Bonnie Parker was born on October 1, 1910. However, the date of retrieval is often important. She was raised in Illinois, but she moved to Milwaukee to further her speed-skating career. [12][13] She failed to medal and finished eighth in the 500 meters. So, the police department in Champaign stepped in to raise money for her trip, holding a series of raffles and bake sales. 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. Her total of six Olympic medals (five gold and a bronze) also made her the most successful American Winter Olympian in history. When she was attending Centennial High School, she competed in track and field events, including 100 meter to 800 meter races, long jump, and triple jump. In fact, Charlie Blair had his children at a competition while his youngest child was being born. She won gold at the 1988 Olympics in Calgary. But Dave gave me real direction.". "Blair Enjoys Being Olympic Spectator." 5x Olympic gold medalist Bonnie Blair Cruikshank trains the next crop bonnie blair siblings Blair has also been involved in the American Brain Tumor Association's efforts to combat this little-understood disease; in 1987, Blair's brother Rob was diagnosed with brain cancer that was deemed terminal. Priestner had Blair train in the Olympic style on both short and long-track races. To win the 500-meter event, Blair beat Chinese skater Ye Qiaobo by 18 hundredths of a second. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. [28] At the event, Blair won the 500 meters twice and finished third and second in two 100 meters races for an overall victory. Sporting News (February 14, 1994): S15. Bonnie Blair - Daily Dose of Sports Place of Burial: Paintsville, Johnson, Kentucky, United States. A short biography of Blair is Cathy Breitenbucher, Bonnie Blair: Golden Streak (1994). 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. Retton's all . 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. Blair herself was introduced to the sport when she was just two years old. Barrow, who was 20, was a volatile ex-con and a wanted man who had vowed that he would . Chambers, 1997. She contracted a severe case of bronchitis that affected her breathing. Her death was announced in a statement that. Sports Illustrated (March 7, 1994): 42. . 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. "Bonnie the blue." At the 1988 Games in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, she was a favourite in the sprint events and earned a gold in the 500-metre event and a bronze in the 1,000-metre event. [42] As of 2002, Blair served on U.S. Speedskating's board of directors. [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. New York Times (February 9, 1987): 166. How many siblings did bonnie Parker have? While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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. The Sports Section: Tonya Harding, Bonnie Blair, and the '94 Winter Though she knew she was retiring, she left on top. Also learn how She earned most of networth at the age of 56 years old? Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Bonnie E. (Hankins) Blair. Phillips, Angus. Bonnie Hoellein - Net Worth 2023. Speed skater who received Olympic gold medals in 1988, 1992, and 1994. [3] To finance the expense of training in Europe, the Champaign Policemen's Benevolent Association began sponsoring some of Blair. She also took these titles in 1995. She also won two gold medals at the '92 . Bonnie Kathleen Blair (born March 18, 1964) is a retired American speed skater. ." Compare DNA and explore genealogy for Bonnie (Blair) Roos born 1940s including ancestors + children + DNA connections + more in the free family tree community. I just want to go fast. Siblings. She also was a cheerleader and on student council. Sports of The Times; '88 Winter Olympics; Bonnie Blair's Golden http://www.imperialoil.ca/thisis/publications/review/2001q4 (January 5, 2003). Bonnie Parker first met Clyde Barrow through a mutual friend in January 1930, when Bonnie was 19 years old. Still Blair changed her training a bit. Blair also won the World Cup points championship 11 times. Blair competed for the United States in four Olympics, and in her Olympic career won five gold medals and one bronze medal. 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. "That's not to say I didn't have other great memories," she told Paula Parrish in the Rocky Mountain News, "but I think that had the biggest impact." Training remained her focus, however. Blair has also become an accomplished motivational speaker, addressing audiences on such topics as "Achieving Your Personal Best." Bonnie Tyler Height, Weight, Age, Spouse, Family, Facts, Biography We can also contact her at bonnie.hoellein@gmail.com for more information.