Born April 17, 1977, in Spring, Texas, Chad Hedrick is one of the most versatile and accomplished speed skaters in history. Before transitioning to ice, Hedrick dominated inline skating, earning 50 world championships and 93 national titles, and revolutionized the sport with his innovative “double push” technique. After switching to ice speed skating in the early 2000s, Hedrick quickly rose to the elite level, winning the World Allround Championship in 2004. At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, he captured gold (5000m), silver (10,000m), and bronze (1500m), then added two more medals at the 2010 Winter Olympics, becoming only the second Americanto win five Olympic medals in long-track speed skating. Beyond competition, Hedrick continues to inspire athletes through coaching, motivational speaking, and philanthropy.
