Eric Arthur Heiden (born June 14, 1958, in Madison, Wisconsin) is an American former long track speed skater and road cyclist who won all of the men’s speed skating races….and thus an unprecedented five individual gold medals…..and set four Olympic records and one world record at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Games. He was the most successful athlete at those Olympic Games….single-handed winning more gold medals than all nations except for the Soviet Union (10) and East Germany (9). Indeed, he is the most successful Winter Olympian from a single edition of any Winter Olympics.
