Photo: UweFan / CC BY 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Eric Heiden's 1980 Olympics still reads like a typo: five individual golds across every distance, sprint and endurance alike. That's not specialization, that's defiance of how the sport is supposed to work. But what fascinates me even more is the exit. Instead of milking fame, he became an orthopedic surgeon and dabbled in elite cycling along the way. I admire athletes who treat dominance as a chapter rather than an identity. Heiden conquered the ice, then walked into an operating room and started over. That second act, the humility to begin again, is honestly what makes him a figure I genuinely respect.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Eric Heiden
- Name (Japanese)
- エリック・ハイデン
- Reading
- えりっく・はいでん
- Born
- June 14, 1958 (age 68)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Dog
- Origin
- Madison, Wisconsin, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- 184 cm
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- speed skater / sport cyclist / orthopedic surgeon
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Madison West High School
- University
- University of Wisconsin–Madison
Awards & achievements
- 1977 Oscar Mathisen Award
- 1999 United States Bicycling Hall of Fame
- 1983 U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame
- 1990 Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame
- 1980 James E. Sullivan Award
- 1978 Oscar Mathisen Award
- 1979 Oscar Mathisen Award
- 1980 Oscar Mathisen Award
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Eric Heiden born?
Born June 14, 1958 (age 68).
Where is Eric Heiden from?
Eric Heiden is from Madison, Wisconsin, United States.
What does Eric Heiden do?
Eric Heiden works as speed skater, sport cyclist, orthopedic surgeon.
How tall is Eric Heiden?
Eric Heiden is 184 cm.
Speed skater — see all → · Sport cyclist — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.