Kyle Carr facts for kids
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
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| Born | September 15, 1986 Hunterdon County, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in | |||||||||||||
| Weight | 174 lb | |||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||
| Country |  United States |
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| Sport | Short track speed skating | |||||||||||||
| Coached by | Stephen Gough | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Christopher Kyle Carr (born September 15, 1986) is an American short track speed skater. He is known for competing in the 2014 Winter Olympics. Kyle grew up roller skating, just like his mom, who was a top skater.
In 2001, he switched from roller skating to ice short track speed skating. This is a sport where skaters race on a small oval track. To get better, he moved to Marquette, Michigan, while still in high school.
Kyle faced some tough times in his career. He broke his ankle in 2006 and missed the Olympic trials. After working hard to recover, he slowly regained his speed. He finally made the World Cup team in 2009–10. He almost made the 2010 Olympics, missing it by a tiny fraction of a second. Even though he thought about quitting, he decided to keep going for his Olympic dream.
From 2010 to 2013, Kyle was a regular on the World Cup team. He helped the U.S. team set a national record in the relay race. In 2011, he won a bronze medal at the World Championships as part of the relay team. Kyle achieved his dream by qualifying for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. He plans to retire after the games and finish his college degree.
Early Life and Skating Start
Kyle Carr was born on September 15, 1986, in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. His mother, Lisa, was a nationally ranked skater. His grandfather, George Carr, worked at a roller rink for 30 years. Kyle and his future Olympic teammate Chris Creveling spent a lot of time roller skating there.
Kyle started skating when he was just one year old. At age three, he competed in his first roller skating event. When he was seven, he told his mom he would make it to the Olympics. At thirteen, he broke his wrist while inline skating.
Soon after, a coach named Shawn Walb introduced Kyle to ice short track speed skating. Kyle loved this new sport and stopped inline skating in 2001. After his junior year at Governor Mifflin, he moved to Marquette, Michigan, in 2004. This move helped him train more at the US Olympic Education Center.
Kyle's Skating Journey
Kyle competed in the 2005 Junior World Championships. That fall, he joined the senior World Cup team and won a gold medal in Slovakia. However, he broke his ankle at the 2006 Junior World Team trials. This injury meant he could not compete in the 2006 Olympic Trials.
He moved to Peachtree City, Georgia, for surgery and recovery. After two surgeries and eight months of therapy, he was ready to skate again. But he found he was much slower and thought about quitting. His girlfriend, Siobhan O'Rourke, moved to Marquette. Her support helped Kyle turn his career around.
Kyle made the 2009–10 United States World Cup Team. He was planning to stop skating after that season. He wanted to "become an adult" because Siobhan was graduating from college. But he placed third in the 500 meters at the National Championships. He also qualified for his first World Championships.
He was then offered a chance to train full-time with the National Team. Kyle and Siobhan moved to Salt Lake City to give his Olympic dream one last try. He missed the 2010 Olympic team by a tiny fraction of a second. In 2011, he won a bronze medal at the World Championship with the U.S. relay team.
Kyle has been on the World Cup team every year from 2010 to 2013. He has won six World Cup medals in total. These include one gold, two silver, and two bronze, all in relay events.
Reaching the Olympics
At the 2014 Olympic Trials, Kyle made it to the 500-meter finals. He finished fourth in that race. He then placed fifth in the 1500 meters. On the last day of the trials, he fell in the semifinals of the 1000 meters and was disqualified.
Feeling upset, he talked to his coach. His coach told him that the fall didn't matter. Kyle already had enough points to make the United States' Olympic Team! Kyle said, "All that frustration and anxiety turned into happiness and gratitude." He finished fourth overall and competed in the men's relay at the Olympics.
Thanks to a kind donation, Kyle's mother was able to join him in Sochi, Russia, for the 2014 Olympic games. Before this, Kyle, like many teammates, used crowd funding to help pay for his living costs.
Kyle is coached by national coach Stephen Gough. He also has club coaches, Anthony Barthell and Alex Izykowski. Kyle plans to retire after the Olympics. He said he wants to "progress with my life" and that skating "doesn't pay the bills." After retiring, he wants to finish his degree in exercise science. He hopes to work with top athletes on their training plans.
As of 2014, Kyle is part of the team that holds the national record in the 3000-meter relay.
Personal Life
Kyle Carr is engaged to his longtime girlfriend, Siobhan O'Rourke. Their wedding date was moved so Kyle's teammate and best friend J.R. Celski could attend. Kyle has a younger sister named Bethany Camp.
Kyle has a pet dog, cat, and bunny. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball and riding his bike. He likes music with a strong beat, like hip hop and techno. During the off-season, Kyle works in commercial real estate. He has volunteered for Operation Christmas Child. He has also helped with fundraisers for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Kyle says basketball player LeBron James is a big influence on his life. He admires how James overcame challenges to win many championships.
