Madison, WI, native, Eric Heiden, wasn’t exactly an unknown speed skating commodity heading into the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics. After all he competed for the United States as a 17-year-old in both the 1,500 meters (7th place) and 5,000 meters (19th place) during the 1976 Innsbruck Winter Olympics.
But his performance in the upstate New York hamlet solidified his status as one of America’s greatest Olympians – Winter or Summer. He competed in all five men’s speed skating events, won them all in Olympic record time, and in his final event – the 10,000 meters – shattered the World Record by over six seconds and the Olympic Record by a staggering 39.17 seconds. That mark was established just four years earlier in Innsbruck by the Soviet Union’s Yevgeny Kulikov. Interestingly, the 10,000 meters was the day after Team USA’s thrilling, 4-3, Miracle on Ice upset over the Soviets in ice hockey. Heiden noted that with all the excitement he’d overslept and managed just a few slices of bread before his otherworldly performance.
The rundown of his golden 1980 Olympic performance:
- February 15, 500m – 37.63 seconds
- February 16, 5000m – 7:02.29
- February 19, 1000m – 1:15.18
- February 21, 1500m – 1:55.44
- February 23, 10000m – 14:28.13
His achievements in Lake Placid earned him the prestigious James E. Sullivan Award, presented annually to the United States’ best amateur athlete. In 1983 he was inducted into the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame.
After his Olympic performance, Heiden became a professional bicyclist, first track racing (finishing last in the 1981 World Championships) and then road racing where he enjoyed modest success. He’s credited with helping found the 7-Eleven Cycling Team and competed in the 1986 Tour de France, though a crash (and concussion) prevented him from finishing the final five days. His successes on a bike saw him inducted into the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame in 1999.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
You shure do a lot of traveling my dear friend !!!