Dave Cruikshank
David Wright "Dave" Cruikshank is a four-time U.S. Olympic speedskater, an NHL skating and performance coach, owner of DC Hybrid Skating, a performance training center for hockey players in Milwaukee, WI.
Personal life
Cruikshank attended Glenbrook North High School, where he played varsity baseball and soccer; he graduated Magna Cum Laude from Carroll College with a degree in Business Management. He is the husband of five-time Olympic gold medalist Bonnie Blair, one of the top female speed skaters of her time and one of the most decorated female athletes in Olympic history. Blair and Cruikshank married at the ages of 26 and 21 respectively.Speedskating career
After attending a speedskating practice, Cruikshank transitioned from ice hockey to speedskating at the age of eight in Northbrook, Illinois, an area known for its strong tradition of speedskating Olympians. He became a member of the World Short Track Team in 1986.In 1987, at the age of seventeen, he won the Junior World 500 meters, his first major long track international competition; a year later, he made the 1988 Olympic Team, winning the 1,000 meters at the Olympic Trials.
In 1989, Cruikshank medaled in a World Cup competition and placed 13th overall in his first World Sprint Championships; Cruikshank's career continued, resulting in his making more World Championship Teams and three more Olympic Teams.
US Speedskating inducted Cruikshank into the US Speedskating Hall of Fame in 2008; Cruikshank had competed in international long track events for 16 years.
| Olympic Record | ||
| Men's Speedskating Competitor for the United States | ||
| Rank | Olympic Games | Event |
| 22 | 1992 Albertville | 500 m |
| 19 | 1994 Lillehammer | 500 m |
| 25 | 1998 Nagano | 500 m |