Jimmy Shea
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| Olympic medal record | |||
| Men's skeleton | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Competitor for  United States |
|||
| Gold | 2002 Salt Lake City | Skeleton | |
Jim Shea Jr. (born June 10, 1968) was an American skeleton racer who won the gold medal in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. He was chosen to recite the Olympic Oath for the 2002 Olympics, on behalf of all competitors.
Jim Shea was the third generation of his family to take part in Winter Games. His father, Jim Shea Sr., competed in nordic combined and cross country skiing events in the 1964 Winter Olympics, and his grandfather, Jack Shea, won two gold medals in the 1932 Winter Olympics in speed skating. His grandfather also recited the athlete's oath at the 1932 opening ceremony. Although American media repeatedly claimed that he was the first third generation Olympian, this honor in fact belongs to the Norwegian Lunde family, who placed their third generation in the Olympics in 1960.
He was born and raised in West Hartford, Connecticut and moved to Lake Placid, New York in his late teens[1]. He became the first American to win a World Cup race and a World Championship in the sport, and has won more World Cup victories than any other American. He retired in October 2005.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- U.S. Olympic Team bio with notes, quotes, and photos
