Skating for Gold: Wisconsin's Olympic Speed Skaters, 1976-2006

An exhibition at the Wisconsin Historical Museum, February 7-March 25, 2006

The five gold medals won by Eric Heiden
at the 1980 Winter Olympics.

"It must be the cheese."
- Bob Costas speculating about why so many Olympic speed skaters come from Wisconsin.

Athletic skill, determination, and enthusiastic public support - these, not cheese, help explain the fact that Wisconsin has dominated the sport of long-track speed skating for the past thirty years. In 1976 Peter Mueller and Dan Immerfall became the first Wisconsin natives to win Olympic speed skating medals. Since then Wisconsin has sent athletes to every Olympic speed skating team, and through 2002 speed skaters born and raised in the state won a total of 13 medals. Eric Heiden of Madison reached the pinnacle of Olympic success by winning five gold medals in 1980. Mueller, Immerfall, and Heiden, along with Eric's sister Beth, and later competitors Dan Jansen, Chris Witty, and Casey FitzRandolph, represent the high caliber of Wisconsin speed skating talent.

For more information, click on the links below.

Olympic speed skating medalists (1976-2002) born and raised in Wisconsin

• Peter Mueller
• Dan Immerfall
• Eric Heiden
• Beth Heiden
• Dan Jansen
• Chris Witty
• Casey FitzRandolph

• Other Olympic speed skating medalists with Wisconsin ties
• 2006 Olympic speed skaters from Wisconsin
• Pettit National Ice Center