Dianne Mary Holum (born May 19, 1951) is a retired American

speed skater Speed skating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in travelling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating. ...

. In 1966, Holum became the youngest person to compete in the world speed skating championships. Next year she won bronze at the World Allround Championships. At the age of 16, Holum earned a silver medal in the 500 meter race at the

1968 Winter Olympics The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games (french: Les Xes Jeux olympiques d'hiver), were a winter multi-sport event held from 6 to 18 February 1968 in Grenoble, France. Thirty-seven countries participated. Frenchm ...

, finishing in a three way tie for second place. Holum added a bronze medal in the 1000 meter event. At the

1972 Winter Olympics The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially the and commonly known as Sapporo 1972 ( ja, 札幌1972), was a winter multi-sport event held from February 3 to 13, 1972, in Sapporo, Japan. It was the first Winter Olympic Games to take place outside Euro ...

, Holum won a gold medal in the 1500 meter event, setting an Olympic record in the process. After finishing sixth in the 1000 meter race, Holum ended her Olympic career by winning a silver medal on the 3000 meters. After winning bronze once more at the World Allround Championships later that same year, Holum retired from speed skating, only 20 years old. The following year, she began her career as a coach, helping put a 14-year-old

Eric Heiden Eric Arthur Heiden (born June 14, 1958) is an American physician and a former long track speed skater, road cyclist and track cyclist. He won an unprecedented five individual gold medals, and set four Olympic records and one world record at th ...

on the road to the

1980 Winter Olympics The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially the XIII Olympic Winter Games and also known as Lake Placid 1980, were an international multi-sport event held from February 13 to 24, 1980, in Lake Placid, New York, United States. Lake Placid was elected ...

, where he won five gold medals. She also coached Eric's sister

Beth Heiden Beth may refer to: Letter and number *Bet (letter), or beth, the second letter of the Semitic abjads (writing systems) *Hebrew word for "house", often used in the name of synagogues and schools (e.g. Beth Israel) Name *Beth (given name) lists p ...

. At the 1976 Olympics, she became the first female coach to a female speed skater. For her achievements as a speed skater, Holum was inducted in the ''National Speedskating Hall of Fame'' in 1986. For her achievements as a coach, Holum was inducted in the ''International Women's Sports Hall of Fame'' in 1996. She also coached her daughter Kirstin Holum, who was Junior World Allround Champion in 1997 and participated in the

1998 Winter Olympics The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially known as the and commonly known as Nagano 1998 ( ja, 長野1998), was a winter multi-sport event held from 7 to 22 February 1998, mainly in Nagano, Japan, with some events taking place in th ...

References

External links

Dianne Holum at SkateResults.comOlympic Speed Skating Medalists with Wisconsin Ties
''Wisconsin Historical Society''. Retrieved on 2007-08-30. {{DEFAULTSORT:Holum, Dianne 1951 births Living people American female speed skaters American Olympic coaches Speed skaters at the 1968 Winter Olympics Speed skaters at the 1972 Winter Olympics Medalists at the 1968 Winter Olympics Medalists at the 1972 Winter Olympics Olympic gold medalists for the United States in speed skating Olympic silver medalists for the United States in speed skating Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in speed skating Speed skaters from Chicago World Allround Speed Skating Championships medalists 21st-century American women