Eric Heiden

Eric Heiden put on one of the most impressive performances at a single Olympic Game in the history of the Games. Heiden is an American speed skater and to many is regarded as the greatest all-around athlete in the sports history. Heiden's first gold medal in the World Championships came in 1977 in both Allround and Sprint, titles he would hold consecutively until 1980 when he finished 2nd in the Allround (still winning gold in Sprint that year). Heiden solidified himself in the history books during the 1980 Olympic Games in Lake Placid. For the first and only time in Olympic history, Heiden won gold in all 5 speed skating events that year, setting numerous Olympic records along the way. No other skater has ever won gold in all 5 events before, let alone in the same Olympics. After the Olympics, he was awarded the James E. Sullivan Award for the United States Top Amateur Athlete of the Year and in 1993 he was inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame. After his skating career, Heiden earned his M.D. from Stanford University and began his own sports medicine clinic as an orthopedic surgeon. Heiden has served as team physician for the United States speed skating team since the 2002 Olympic Games.