.jpg) Hedrick at a world cup speedskating event in Heerenveen, the Netherlands | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1977-04-17)April 17, 1977 (age 47) Spring, Texas, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Weight | 172.0 lb (78.02 kg) |
| Website | ChadHedrick.com (archive) |
| Sport | |
| Country |  United States |
| Sport | Long track speed skating Inline speed skating |
| World Cup wins | 1500 m – Netherlands 5000 m – Italy 1500 m – USA 5000 m – Canada |
| World championship wins | 2004 overall |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personalbest(s) | 500 m: 35.52 (2009) 1000 m: 1:07.33 (2009) 1500 m: 1:42.14 (2009) 3000 m: 3:39.02 (2005) 5000 m: 6:09.68 (2005) 10 000 m: 12:55.11 (2005) |
Medal record | |
Chad Hedrick (born April 17, 1977) is an Americaninline speed skater and icespeed skater. He was born inSpring, Texas.
Hedrick revolutionized the inline speed skating world with his unique technique, called thedouble push, or DP. During his career he won 93 national championships and 50 world championships, as well as having a brand of inline skating wheels named after him.
After winning his 50th World Championship, inOstend,Belgium, in 2002, he switched to ice speed skating after watching, on a television in a Las Vegas casino in 2002, fellow inline skaterDerek Parra win a medal at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. In February 2004, a year and a half after he made his switch, Hedrick won the 2004World Allround Speed Skating Championships, knocking more than a point off the world record points, reducing it to 150.478. On March 12, 2004, Hedrick won the gold medal in the 5,000 meters during the 2004World Single Distance Championships, which were heldSeoul,South Korea. In 2005 he successfully defended his 5,000 m world title inInzell,Germany. At the 2005 World Allround Speed Skating Championships he lost his title toShani Davis. Hedrick has set sixworld records in speed skating, but these have later been broken by others.[1] As of 2021[update], he was 4th in the unofficial world ranking, theAdelskalender after having led the rankings from November 2005-7.
The Texan raised the stakes for theWinter Olympics 2006 inTurin by proclaiming that he would equalEric Heiden's record of five gold medals. On February 11, 2006, Hedrick won his only gold medal at this Olympics at the 5,000 m beatingSven Kramer of the Netherlands who claimed a silver medal.
Hedrick caused controversy when he insisted thatShani Davis, fellow American speed skater in the 1,000 m race, should have participated in the men's pursuit, stating, "I don't see what his logic is. We can't be beat if he skates. It's his decision. I'm not going to get in the middle of it. I would like him to be in the pursuit, but am I going to beg him? No."[2] Five-time gold medalist and Olympic-team physician, Eric Heiden, has publicly written that Davis made the right choice in not participating in the team pursuit and thereby not jeopardizing his chances at a gold medal in his best event, the 1,000 meter race.[citation needed] Davis eventually won the gold medal in the 1000 m race, while Hedrick finished sixth.
Hedrick added a silver medal in the 10,000 m to his Olympic tally along with a bronze medal in the 1,500 m. With three medals, Hedrick became only the third American ever to win three speed skating medals in a single Winter Olympics winning a medal in each color (gold, silver, and bronze).
On March 5, 2006, Hedrick won a 1500 m race in the Netherlands and captured the 2006 World Cup title in the event. Two weeks later, Hedrick participated in the World Allround Championships in Calgary, aiming to take back the title he lost to Davis in 2005. On the fourth and final distance, the 10,000 meter, Hedrick needed to beat Davis by 8.32 seconds, but made a crucial mistake midway through the race; he turned into the inner lane instead of his scheduled outer, and though he realised his mistake quickly, he was motioned off some laps later.
Hedrick qualified for the 1000 m, 1500 m, 5000 m, and the long-track team pursuit in the 21st Winter Olympiad held inVancouver. Hedrick lost toHåvard Bøkko in the final pair of the 5000 m event. He would ultimately finish 10 places behind the winner,Dutchman Sven Kramer, in 11th place. Hedrick skated a 1:09.32 in the 1000 m which was good for the bronze behind Davis and South Korea'sMo Tae-bum. Hedrick was the leader of the team that won a surprising silver medal in team pursuit with an upset of the heavily favored Netherlands team in the semifinals bringing Hedrick's Olympic career to an end with a total of five medals with each one in a different event.
| Personal records | ||||
| Men'sspeed skating | ||||
| Event | Result | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 m | 35.52 | 2009-12-26 | Salt Lake City | |
| 1000 m | 1:07.33 | 2009-12-13 | Salt Lake City | |
| 1500 m | 1:42.14 | 2009-12-04 | Calgary | |
| 3000 m | 3:39.02 | 2005-03-10 | Calgary | |
| 5000 m | 6:09.68 | 2005-11-13 | Calgary | American record |
| 10000 m | 12:55.11 | 2005-12-31 | Salt Lake City | American record |
| Big combination | 148.799 | 2006-01-22 | Calgary | |
Source: speedskatingbase.eu[3] & SpeedskatingResults.com[4]
Hedrick has so far skated six world records on ice skates
| Event | Time | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big combination | 150.478 | February 8, 2004 |  Hamar |
| 3000 m | 3.39,02 | March 10, 2005 |  Calgary |
| 5000 m | 6.09,68 | November 13, 2005 | Calgary |
| 1500 m | 1.42,78 | November 18, 2005 |  Salt Lake City |
| 10,000 m | 12.55,11 | December 31, 2005 | Salt Lake City |
| Big combination | 148.799 | January 22, 2006 | Calgary |
Source: SpeedSkatingStats.com[1]
Hedrick has won the following world titles ininline speed skating:
| Year | Number | Track | Road |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 1 | 1500 m | |
| 1995 | 6 | 10.000 m 1500 m 10.000 m | 20.000 m 10.000 m Marathon |
| 1996 | 7 | 10.000 m 5000 m 20.000 m 10.000 m Relay | 1500m 10.000 20.000 m |
| 1997 | 7 | 10.000 m 1500 m 20.000 m 10.000 m Relay | 20.000 m 10.000 m 1500 m |
| 1998 | 7 | 1500 m 10000 m 15000 m 20000 m 10.000 m Relay | 1500 m 15000 m |
| 1999 | 9 | 1000 m 10000 m 15000 m 20000 m 10.000 m Relay | 1000 m 10.000 m 20.000 m |
| 2000 | 5 | 10.000 m 20.000 m 10.000 m Relay | 10.000 m 15.000 m |
| 2001 | 7 | 1000 m 10.000 m 15000 m 10000 m Relay | 20000 m 15.000 m 10000 m |
| 2002 | 2 | 1000 m 20.000 m | |
| Total | 50 |
On June 7, 2008, Hedrick and Lynsey Elizabeth Adams were married in Houston, Texas. Their wedding was featured on the Style Network reality showWhose Wedding Is It Anyway? They had their first daughter in 2009, a second daughter in 2010, and a son in 2014.[5] Hedrick currently works as a licensed realtor.
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Oscar Mathisen Award 2004 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
