Heiden, Eric

Heiden, Eric (hī`dən), 1958–, American speed skater, b. Madison, Wis. After competing in the 1976 Winter Olympics, he won three consecutive World Speedskating Championships (1977–79). In 1980 at Lake Placid, N.Y., he became the first athlete ever to win five gold medals in a single Winter Olympics.

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Heiden, Eric (Arthur)

(born June 14, 1958, Madison, Wis., U.S.) U.S. speed skater. He became the first American to win the world speed-skating championship, and he retained the title for three years (1977–79). In the 1980 Winter Olympics he became the first person to win gold medals in all five speed-skating events. He later turned to competitive cycling.