Daniel Erwin Jansen was born on June 17,1965 and is a retired American speed skater.
18 Facts About Dan Jansen
2.
Dan Jansen is the youngest of nine children born to Geraldine Jansen a nurse, and Harry Jansen, who retired from the police department as a lieutenant detective.
3.
Dan Jansen set a junior world record in the 500-meter race at age 16, and finished 16th in the 1,000 meters and fourth in the 500 meters at the 1984 Winter Olympics.
4.
In 1988, Jansen became the World Sprint Champion before heading to the 1988 Winter Olympics, where he was a favorite for the 500- and 1,000-meter races.
5.
Dan Jansen spoke to her on the phone but was unable to receive a response.
6.
Dan Jansen went on to compete in the 500-meter race that afternoon but fell in the first turn.
7.
Dan Jansen left the 1988 Olympics with no medals but became the recipient of the US Olympic Spirit Award for his valiant efforts.
8.
In 1993, Dan Jansen set a world record in the 500-meter event and was cast as a favorite to win the gold medal in the event at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer.
9.
Between the 1992 and 1994 Olympics, Dan Jansen was the only skater to break 36 seconds in the 500 meters, doing so four times.
10.
In 1994, Dan Jansen won his second World Sprint Championship title, and he arrived at the 1994 Winter Olympics for one final attempt at an Olympic medal.
11.
Dan Jansen defied expectations and finished first, winning his first and only Olympic medal of his career, while setting a new world record in the process.
12.
Dan Jansen received the 1994 James E Sullivan Award and was chosen by his fellow Olympians to bear the US flag at the closing ceremony of the 1994 Winter Olympics.
13.
Dan Jansen was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995.
14.
Dan Jansen has two daughters, Jane and Olivia, from his marriage to first wife Robin Wicker.
15.
Dan Jansen's second wife, Karen Palacios, is a top golf teaching professional.
16.
Dan Jansen was inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame in 2004.
17.
Today, Dan Jansen is a speed skating commentator for NBC, and, from 2005 to 2007, he was the skating coach for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League.
18.
Dan Jansen is an honorary board member of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.