Connie Carpenter
Connie Carpenter has to be one of the most versatile athletes in the
Hall of Fame. She first established herself as a national championship
Speedskater in 1976. She also competed in that sport in the 1972
Olympics.
One week before the Olympic trials in 1976,
Carpenter-Phinney broke her ankle. That ended her speedskating career,
but she turned to cycling, earning U.S. championships in 1976, '77 and
'79. She set a world record in 1983 and won the gold medal in the 1984
Olympics at Los Angeles.
While competing in cycling, Carpenter-Phinney joined the University of
California crew team and was a member of the NCAA four-oar women's
championship team.