(February 23, 2023). 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. "Bonnie Blair is a 5-4 Colossus on Skates." 1958- [37] By 1994, Blair's hometown of Champaign had renamed one of its streets Bonnie Blair Drive. Born in Cornwall, New York on March 18, 1964 as the youngest of six children, her family moved to Champaign, Illinois and Bonnie first donned skates at the age of two and was competing as a speed skater by the age of four. She was grateful for all of her successes, however, and for all the wonderful memories they gave her. Bonnie Kathleen Blair (born March 18, 1964) is a retired American speedskater. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. New York Times (February 11, 1992): B11. Blair was touched by the adulations of the crowd, saying that she had never heard any group of spectators cheer so hard for her. While Blair focused on speed skating, she also competed in other sports and activities. The experience strengthened her determination to become an Olympian. This allowed Blair to train seriously, including one stint with the U.S. men's speed skating team in Butte, Montana. Bonnie Blair is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Achieving Your Personal Best. She also took these titles in 1995. Bonnie Blair - Historical records and family trees - MyHeritage When Blair was sixteen, she competed at her first Olympic trials for the 1980 Winter Olympics. Blair was born on March 18, 1964, in Cornwall, New York, the youngest of six children. Her father, a bricklayer, died in 1914, and Emma Parker moved the family to "Cement City" in West Dallas to live closer to . That is, races that were conducted with a number of skaters competing against each other in a pack. For her success, Blair was named the Babe Zaharis Female Amateur Athlete of the Year and sportswoman of the Year by Sports Illustrated for 1994. "Olympic Profile: Bonnie Blair; A Life of Skating Leads to Calgary." A short biography of Blair is Cathy Breitenbucher, Bonnie Blair: Golden Streak (1994). Bonnie Tyler Height, Weight, Age, Spouse, Family, Facts, Biography Priestner profoundly affected Blair's direction as a speed skater. Blair remained a popular figure in Champaign for many years, and was even given the key to the city. Thus, the next Winter Games would be held in February 1994. Leo was born on January 4 1898, in Bountiful, Davis, Utah, United States. She graduated from Centennial High School, and later took some courses at Parkland Junior College in Champaign. Blair continued to have success on the international level, though she also challenged herself to find ways to win. She was the most decorated Winter Olympian in U.S. history when she retired in 1995. [26] Blair again won gold in the 500 meters, becoming the first woman to win the event in back to back Olympics, with a time of 40.33 seconds. I'm definitely going to miss hearing the sound of that gun. She has also made television commercials for such major corporations as McDonald's and AT&T. Cazeneuve, Brian. She cut back on her skating and took up competitive bicycle racing. 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 . Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. She did some television commentary for speed skating. "Blair, Bonnie Sports Illustrated (February 28, 1994): 18. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. ." She received help from the local Champaign community. Bonnie Blair of Champaign, IL, races in the women's 500 meter speed skating event at Hamar Olympic Hall in Hamar, Norway, Saturday, February 19, 1994. Myrtle was born on July 26 1899, in Manassa, Conejos, Colorado, United States. Despite unfavorable weather conditions at the outdoor rink, Blair won the 500-meter race. "Blair, Bonnie 1. Encyclopedia of World Biography. Blair had more success in 1984, making the U.S. women's speed skating team for the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. 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. 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." Bonnie Blair - Daily Dose of Sports So, the police department in Champaign stepped in to raise money for her trip, holding a series of raffles and bake sales. 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. After retiring from speed skating, Blair became a motivational speaker. They saw Blair win two more golds. Denver Rocky Mountain News (February 15, 2002): 23S. [48][49], Blair began dating fellow Olympic speed skater Dave Cruikshank in 1990. In 1986, Blair set her first world's record in the 500 meters. This is an individual sport.". Wolff, Alexander. [39] On March 18, 1995, she retired. When the 1994 Winter Olympics at Lillehammer, Norway, came around, Blair was again favored to win. [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. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. Bonnie was born March 18, 1964. Time (March 7, 1988): 69. In 1989, she won the World Sprint Championships, though she did not train as hard as she had for the Olympics. Parker, Bonnie (1910-1934). She also represented Canada in speed skating in the 1972 games in Sapporo, Japan. Background Bonnie Blair was born on March 18, 1964, in Cornwall, New York, United States; the youngest of six children. Bonnie Pointer, Founding Member Of The Pointer Sisters, Dead At 69 At the Olympic Games, Blair had the support of her family, the so-called "Blair Bunch" which consisted of immediate and extended family members who attended a number of her more important races en masse. Bonnie Hoellein - Net Worth 2023. Blair began to succeed on the international speed skating stage. How many siblings did bonnie Parker have? - Answers 5-time Olympic gold medalist speedskater Bonnie Blair Cruikshank is still hitting the ice at 57-years-old. Bonnie Kathleen Blair (born March 18, 1964) is a retired American speed skater. Priestner had Blair train in the Olympic style on both short and long-track races. Blair, under the weather with a cough and cold, finished second in the event. Photos and Memories (0) Do you know Bonnie? Born in Philadelphia, she was the youngest of six children. It was another first for a female athleteno other woman had ever won five Olympic gold medals for individual events. Bonnie Blair. Blair's only disappointment was finishing 21st in the 1500 meter race. [26] At her post race press conference, Blair confirmed Lillehammer would be her last Olympic games.[38]. International Encyclopedia of Women and Sports. It's fun to set goals, reach goals, reset goals. [7] Blair topped her own World Record the following year, achieving a time of 38.69 on February 12, 1995 in Calgary. At the Olympics, Blair was cheered on by her large extended family, including her parents, her brother Chuck, her sister Mary, along with Mary's husband and children, her sister Susie, her brother Rob and his wife and child, her sister Angela, and her uncle Lennie, along with the friends of all of her family members. Bonnie (Blair) Roos. Blair's athletic achievements, combined with her friendly, down-to-earth manner, earned her recognition from journalists as an "All-American girl." In 1987, she won the World Cup in both the 500 and 1000 meter races. [20] Blair also proved she could beat East-German world champion Karin Enke-Kania in head-to-head match-ups. Bonnie Blair. She signed with Advantage International, a sports marketing group, and did a number of commercials endorsements including Jeep, Evian, National Frozen Foods, and Rollerblades. She died on 13 May 1977, in Lima, Allen, Ohio, United States, at the age of 49, and was buried in Wells Mill, Floyd, Kentucky, United States. On 23 June 1996 she married Dave Cruikshank, a fellow speed skater on the U.S. Olympic She was the daughter of Charlie and Eleanor Blair, who raised their large Catholic family in Champaign, Illinois. She won the 1986 short-track world championship. Speed skating champion Bonnie Blair (born 1964) is the most highly decorated American Winter Olympic athlete in history with six medals. [2] Two of Blair's competitors, who skated after her, subsequently beat her time; thus Blair won the bronze in the 1,000 meters. 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. (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 . Ye trained by watching tapes of Blair. They are: dedication, balance, risk, and love. Nobody makes you do it. 9.04M subscribers Subscribe to @olympics: http://oly.ch/Subscribe Highlights as Bonnie Blair takes part in her third Olympic Games. In 2021, Blair spoke out in opposition to allowing male-to-female transgender athletes to participate in organized athletics.[54]. 47 No. Brand, David. Updates? Now a world-class speed skater, Blair went on to set a world speed skating record in 1987, racing 500 meters in 39.43 seconds. [5]:44, Blair again competed at Olympics in 1992, this time held in Albertville, France. 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. For Blair, a skater in the prime of her career, the new schedule was an opportunity to try again for Olympic gold. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Bonnie Blair, 92, of Dawson Springs, KY, died Friday, January 9, 2004, at 7:13 A.M., at her residence. It was the first time a woman had won two Olympic gold medals for the 500-meter event in two successive Winter Olympics. After the turn of the twenty-first century, Blair still found herself involved in speed skating, even though she no longer competed. Sporting News (February 14, 1994): S15. Sports Illustrated (February 24, 1992): 18. Veteran entertainer, TV presenter and dancer Lionel Blair has died aged 92, his agent has said. ." Encyclopedia.com. Speed skating and also worked for the Olympic Committee. Sports Illustrated (January 20, 1997): 4. (With Greg Brown) A Winning Edge, Taylor, 1996. She dominated the sprint events at three Olympic Games (1988, 1992, and 1994), winning five gold medals and one bronze. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. Bonnie Kathleen Blair Alice Blair, an accounts processor and caregiver to siblings and Notable Sports Figures. 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. It was an expensive undertaking, but with the help of her family, friends, and money from the Champaign police department, Blair was able to go. "Bonnie Blair [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. . Blair later credited her husband's continuing involvement in the sport with helping her to make the transition from competition to civilian life. As the 1992 Winter Olympic Games in Albertville, France, approached, Blair regained her focus on speed skating. Address: c/o 306 White Pine Rd., Delafield, WI 53018-1124. [20] Blair continued on to the 1995 World Championships in her adopted home town of Milwaukee. Occupation Singer Family Father - David Glyndwr Hopkins Mother - Elsie Hopkins Washington Post (February 11, 1994): H5. Bonnie Blair Speed skating champion Bonnie Blair (born 1964) is the most highly decorated American Winter Olympic athlete in history with six medals. But Dave gave me real direction.". In 1989 she won her first world sprint championship. (She finished fourth in the 1500 meter race.) She was the youngest of six children, all of whom learned to skate at an early age. team. [3] To finance the expense of training in Europe, the Champaign Policemen's Benevolent Association began sponsoring some of Blair. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. She achieved personal bests in all four of her events and recorded the fastest time of any junior in three of them. [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. Four days later, she took the gold in the 1,000-meter race, winning by just two one-hundredths of a second. Blair was also the first American speed skater to win in more than one Olympic Games (1988, 1992, and 1994). Encyclopedia.com. . [18], Early in 1987, Blair won World Cup titles in the 500 and 1,000 meters. Blair won events at 1984, 1985 and 1986 short-track world championships and was the 1986 overall short-track world champion. So far, this channel has garnered over 758.4 million views and more than 1.35 million subscribers. "Time after time." Chambers, 1997. Bonnie Blair | Biography & Facts | Britannica Brownlee, Shannon. [2] Blair's family friends in the stands, affectionately known as the "Blair Bunch," became a staple of her competitive career. New York Times (February 9, 1987): 166. All of Blair's two sisters and three brothers speed skated competitively because of their father. [8] With her increased focus on the 1984 Olympics, Blair went to train in Europe. Although Ye claimed the crossover cost her the gold, the referee's rejected China's protest. 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. [50] Blair and Cruikshank have two children: a son, Grant, and daughter, Blair. [5]:44, The 1990-1991 season had setbacks for Blair. Lionel Blair: Veteran TV presenter and dancer dies at 92 Blair finished 0.36 seconds ahead of the second best time in the 500 meters. Priestner had been an Olympic medalist herself, winning silver when she represented Canada at the Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, in 1976. Watch a short video featuring Bonnie Blair. [28], Following the 1988 Olympics, Blair also tried track cycle racing, and was coached by former speed skater and cycling world champion Connie Paraskevin. Bonnie Blair is a retired American speed skater who was one of the leading competitors in the sport. Bonnie Blair - Wikipedia Cruikshank had skated in four Olympics by 1998, and he narrowly missed qualifying for the U.S. team for the 2002 Olympics. [30] Training with Mueller in the summer before the Olympics, Blair regained her competitive edge. Bonnie Hoellein-Bio, Age, Net Worth, Height, Nationality, Facts [24][25] Rothenburger skating first, setting a new world record. Encyclopedia of World Biography. After the 1994 Olympics, Blair received more honors and product endorsement offers. 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. Bonnie Blair Olympic Legend - Part 9 - Lillehammer 1994 Olympic Film | Olympic History 22,552 views Jan 7, 2015 99 Dislike Save Olympics 9.04M subscribers Subscribe to @olympics:. "Bonnie Blair," Infoplease.com, http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0109013.html (March 10, 2003). Search instead in Creative? 1939- "One-woman ice show." 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. She won the 500 meters with a time of 39.1 seconds and the 1000 meters with a time of 1:18.74. She was the youngest of six children. (February 23, 2023). Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Bonnie E. (Hankins) Blair. ." Blair's introduction to competitive skating was as a pack racer on short tracks where she competed against many people in one race. Bonnie Crest Walter Blair (1907-1998) - Find a Grave Memorial Her death was announced in a statement that. [19] Blair held a world record at 500 meters until December 1987 when Christa Rothenburger beat her time at the World Cup. At her peak, she considered the fastest woman in the world in speed skating. Bonnie E Blair of Texas was born c. 1944. Best. [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. She won the first American gold of the games when she won the 500 meter race. Winning means you're doing better than you've ever done before. . 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. People Photos Purpose. American track and field athlete [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 was the first Canadian woman to win a medal in speed skating. 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. 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. She was the daughter of Charlie and Eleanor Blair, who raised their large Catholic family in Champaign, Illinois. 10 Things You May Not Know About Bonnie and Clyde - HISTORY World class track-and-field athlete Join Facebook to connect with Bonnie Blair and others you may know. [2][3] To end the games, Blair was chosen to carry the American flag at the closing ceremonies. [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. Blair won two gold medals in the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville and her final two Olympic gold medals at the 1994 Lillehammer games. She also was a cheerleader and on student council. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. 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. Winning doesn't always mean being first. In fact, Charlie Blair had his children at a competition while his youngest child was being born. places to practice were in Europe. Bonnie Blair Quotes - BrainyQuote [43] As of 2018, Blair serves on the board of the Pettit National Ice Center. Bonnie Elaine BlaIr (1925 - 2016) - Genealogy 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. With the oval in Milwaukee closed in the off-season, the best As a speed skater, Blair had exemplary technique which contributed to her success. 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. ." Father's influence Anthony Charles Lynton Blair was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on May 6, 1953. [1] Her godmother is Canadian speed skater Cathy Priestner. 2. Heather McCabe in the Houston Chronicle. Ten years later, however, doctors were able to remove about half of the tumor, giving Blair and her family hope for a cure. login . Bonnie Blair. Sherrow, Victoria. She was on the cover of Sports Illustrated. By the time she was four years old, Blair was racing, and she loved it, competing against her older brothers and sisters and others in elementary and junior high school.