Eric Flaim

Eric Joseph Flaim is an American former speed skater, born on 9 March 1967 in Pembroke, Massachusetts, who won Olympic silver medals in two different winter disciplines. He began in short track speed skating, chose long track after winning both North American junior titles in 1983, and at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary set what looked like a world record in the 1,500 m, which stood for two pairs before André Hoffmann beat it, giving Flaim the silver. Two weeks later he became World Allround Champion at the Medeu stadium in Alma-Ata. He won the 1,000 m World Cup in 1989 and led the Adelskalender, the all-time allround ranking, from 17 February 1988 to 21 March 1992. At the 1994 Winter Olympics he took a second silver in the short track 5,000 m relay, making him the first skater to win Olympic medals in two different winter disciplines, and he carried the flag at the 1998 opening ceremony in Nagano.