Photo: McSmit / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Parra's story moves me more than most. He came from inline skating, off the ice entirely, and reinvented himself well enough to win two medals at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics on home soil. At just 162 cm he was small even by speed-skating standards, which to me only sharpens the picture of sheer will overcoming physical limits. There is something deeply American-dream about a kid from San Bernardino chasing gold across the ice, and I find that reinvention genuinely inspiring. He strikes me as a pure grinder who simply refused to quit.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Derek Parra
- Name (Japanese)
- デレック・パーラ
- Reading
- でれっく・ぱーら
- Born
- March 15, 1970 (age 56)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Dog
- Origin
- San Bernardino, California, United States
- Height
- 162 cm
- Occupation
- speed skater
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Derek Parra born?
Born March 15, 1970 (age 56).
Where is Derek Parra from?
Derek Parra is from San Bernardino, California, United States.
What does Derek Parra do?
Derek Parra works as speed skater.
How tall is Derek Parra?
Derek Parra is 162 cm.
Speed skater — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.