Constance Anne Paraskevin, known as Connie (married name Paraskevin-Young; born July 4, 1961) is a retired American professional track cyclist and speed skater. She is a four times sprint world champion, ten times national sprint champion and an Olympic bronze medalist.[1]

Connie Paraskevin
Personal information
Full nameConstance Anne Paraskevin
Born (1961-07-04) July 4, 1961 (age 63)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Height1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Weight55 kg (121 lb)
Team information
DisciplineTrack
RoleRider
Medal record
Representing the  United States
Women's track cycling
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1988 Seoul Sprint
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1982 Leicester Sprint
Gold medal – first place 1983 Zurich Sprint
Gold medal – first place 1984 Bassano del Grappa Sprint
Gold medal – first place 1990 Maebashi Sprint
Silver medal – second place 1985 Bassano del Grappa Sprint
Bronze medal – third place 1986 Colorado Springs Sprint
Bronze medal – third place 1987 Vienna Sprint
Bronze medal – third place 1991 Stuttgart Sprint
Women's Speed skating
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 1978 ?
Bronze medal – third place 1978 ?

Paraskevin began skating at the age of ten, she finished third at two 500m competitions at the world sprint speed skating championships in 1978 but did not medal.[2] At the age of 19, she was a member of the US team at the 1980 Winter Olympics although she did not compete. Four years later she competed at the 1984 Winter Olympics.

Paraskevin campaigned to have the women's sprint event included in the 1988 Summer Olympics before going on to win a bronze medal in the event in Seoul. She went on to compete at a further two Summer Olympics before retiring at the end of 1996.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, she is the former wife of the Olympic cyclist Roger Young. Paraskevin also coached the speed skater Bonnie Blair when she briefly dabbled in track cycling.[3] She is now the founder/director of the Connie Cycling Foundation.

Palmarès

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1975
1st Intermediate Girls, US National Track Championships
1976
1st Intermediate Girls, US National Track Championships
1977
1st Junior Women, US National Track Championships
1978
1st Junior Women, US National Track Championships
1979
2nd Junior Women, US National Track Championships
1981
1st   US National Criterium Championships
2nd Sprint, US National Track Championships
1982
1st Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships
1st   Sprint, US National Track Championships
1983
1st Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships
1st   Sprint, US National Track Championships
1984
1st Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships
2nd GP d'Osaka, Japan
1985
1st   Sprint, US National Track Championships - World Record 200 m - 11.393
2nd Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships
1986
3rd Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships
1987
1st   Sprint, US National Track Championships
1st Sprint, Pan American Games
3rd Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships
1988
1st   Sprint, US National Track Championships
3rd Sprint, Olympic Games
1989
1st   Sprint, US National Track Championships
1st Sprint, Sundance Grand Prix, USA
3rd Sprint, World Invitational, USA
1990
1st Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships
1st Sprint, ABC Olympic Cup, USA
1st Sprint, Goodwill Games, USA
Velo News Oscars - U.S. Female Cyclist of the year.
1991
1st Sprint, Pre Olympic Track event, Spain
3rd Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships
3rd Sprint, G.P. De Paris, France
1992
1st   Sprint, US National Track Championships
1993
3rd UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics, Copenhagen
3rd Sprint, US National Track Championships
1994
1st Sprint, US National Track Championships
1995
1st   Sprint, US National Track Championships
2nd Sprint, Pan American Games, Argentina
1996
1st   Sprint, US National Track Championships

References

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  1. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Connie Paraskevin". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
  2. ^ "World Sprint Speed Skating Championships 1977/1978". ISU. Retrieved August 30, 2016.
  3. ^ "SPORTS WORLD SPECIALS: CYCLING; A Smooth-as-Ice Switch". New York Times. June 5, 1989.
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