Jimmy Shea facts for kids
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Shea in 2002
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| Full name | James Edmound Shea Jr. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | June 10, 1968 (age 57) West Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. |
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| Height | 5 ft 10+1/2 in | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 181 lb | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Jimmy Shea Jr. (born June 10, 1968) is an American skeleton athlete. He won a gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Skeleton is a winter sliding sport. Athletes ride a small sled head-first down a frozen track.
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About Jimmy Shea
Jimmy Shea Jr. comes from a family of Olympic athletes. His family has a long history with the Winter Games.
Family Olympic History
Jimmy's father, Jim Shea Sr., competed in the 1964 Winter Olympics. He took part in Nordic combined and cross-country skiing. Jimmy's grandfather, Jack Shea, was also an Olympian. He won two gold medals in speed skating at the 1932 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. His grandfather also recited the athlete's oath at the 1932 opening ceremony. This makes Jimmy Shea Jr. a third-generation Olympian.
Early Life and Career
Jimmy Shea Jr. was born in West Hartford, Connecticut. He grew up there before moving to Lake Placid, New York, as a teenager. He became a very successful skeleton racer. He was the first American to win a World Cup race in skeleton. He also won a World Championship in the sport. Jimmy has more World Cup victories than any other American skeleton athlete. He stopped competing in October 2005.
Achievements in Skeleton
Jimmy Shea Jr. earned a full set of medals at the FIBT World Championships. He won a gold medal in 1999. He also earned a silver medal in 1997. In 2000, he won a bronze medal. He tied for the bronze with Austria's Alexander Müller that year. His best overall finish in the Skeleton World Cup was third place. He achieved this twice, in the 1998–99 and 2000–01 seasons.
Life After Sports
After retiring from skeleton, Jimmy Shea Jr. started The Shea Family Foundation. This foundation helps raise money to support kids in sports. He also serves on the Utah Board of Economic Development. Jimmy lives in Park City, Utah, with his family. He has two daughters and a son.
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics were a special event for Jimmy Shea Jr. He played a part in the opening ceremony.
Olympic Torch Relay
Jimmy Shea Jr. and his father, Jim Shea Sr., were part of the Olympic Torch relay. They passed the torch to Olympic athletes Cammi Granato and Picabo Street. These athletes then passed it to the 1980 U.S. Men's Hockey Team. The hockey team then lit the Olympic Cauldron. This was a memorable moment for the Shea family and the Olympics.
See also
In Spanish: Jim Shea para niños
- List of Olympic medalist families
