Terry McDermott (speed skater)

Terry McDermott
Medal record
Men's speed skating
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold 1964 Innsbruck 500 m
Silver 1968 Grenoble 500 m

Richard Terrance "Terry" McDermott (nicknamed "The Essexville Rocket") [1] (born September 20, 1940, in Essexville, Michigan) is an American gold and silver medal winning Olympic speed skater.

McDermott was a surprise winner in the 500 m at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck when he beat the favourite in that distance, reigning Olympic champion Yevgeny Grishin, by half a second. His coach at the time was Leo Freisinger, the 500 m bronze medal winner of the 1936 Winter Olympics. McDermott's international career consisted exclusively of the 500 m at the Olympic Winter Games of 1960, 1964 and 1968.

McDermott was inducted in the National Speedskating Hall of Fame on June 4, 1977. At the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, McDermott took the Olympic Oath representing the judges. He currently resides in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He is married to Virginia, and has 5 children and 11 grandchildren.

Broadcaster Jim McKay once said of McDermott, "Terry is the epitome of an amateur athlete."

On February 9, 1964, McDermott was a guest on The Ed Sullivan Show, an appearance that was overshadowed by the first U.S. performance of The Beatles.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Essexville's Terry McDermott shocked the world with Olympic gold in 1964 Games MLive.com, February 11, 2010