Steven Bradbury facts for kids
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 14 October 1973 Camden, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 176 lb (80 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Country |  Australia |
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| Sport | Short track speed skating | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Steven John Bradbury (born 14 October 1973) is a famous Australian speed skater. He is known for winning a gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics. This made him the first person from Australia and the Southern Hemisphere to win a Winter Olympic gold medal.
Steven was also part of the team that won Australia's first Winter Olympic medal ever. This was a bronze medal in 1994. His gold medal win was very special. He was behind all the other skaters in the final race. But then, everyone ahead of him crashed, and he skated past them to win! This amazing win showed everyone the power of never giving up.
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Early Wins and Olympic Dreams
In 1991, Steven was part of the Australian team that won the 5,000 meter relay at the World Championships. This was a huge win, as it was Australia's first world championship in a winter sport.
The Australian team was the world champion when they went to the 1992 Winter Olympics. But they had bad luck in the semi-finals. A teammate fell, and they finished fourth. This meant they did not make it to the final race. Steven was a reserve for the team and did not get to race in any individual events.
Winning Australia's First Winter Olympic Medal
At the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway, Steven Bradbury and his team made history. They won Australia's first-ever Winter Olympic medal, a bronze, in the short-track relay.
They almost didn't make it to the final. They just barely beat Japan and New Zealand in their semi-final race. For the final, their plan was simple: stay on their feet! They wanted to avoid crashing and beat at least one other team.
During the race, the Canadian team fell. This gave Australia a chance to win a medal. Steven, along with his teammates Richard Nizielski, Andrew Murtha, and Kieran Hansen, raced carefully. They secured the bronze medal, making history for Australia.
Steven also raced in individual events. In the 500 meter race, he did well in the early rounds. But in the semi-final, another skater knocked him over. He finished fourth and was out of the race. In the 1,000 meter race, he fell in his heat after being pushed by another skater. Even with these falls, Steven kept going.
A Serious Injury
Later in 1994, Steven had a very bad accident during a World Cup event. Another skater's blade cut deep into his right leg. The cut went all the way through his thigh. He lost a lot of blood, about four liters.
Steven's heart was beating very fast, which made him lose blood even quicker. All four of his main leg muscles were cut. He thought he might die if he passed out. The injury needed 111 stitches. He couldn't move his leg for three weeks, and it took 18 months to get back to full strength.
Facing More Challenges
Steven, Richard Nizielski, and Kieran Hansen returned for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Japan. They hoped to win another medal. But in their qualifying race, they finished third and missed the final. They were very close but not quite fast enough.
Steven also had tough luck in his individual races. Other skaters crashed into him in both the 500 meter and 1,000 meter events. He didn't make it past the first round in either race.
Breaking His Neck
In September 2000, Steven had another terrible accident during training. Another skater fell, and Steven tried to jump over him. But he clipped the skater and crashed headfirst into the barriers. He broke two bones in his neck.
He had to wear a special brace around his head for a month and a half. Doctors told him he might never skate again. But Steven was determined. He wanted to compete in another Olympics. He knew he might not be the fastest, but he wanted to try one more time.
The Unforgettable 2002 Winter Olympics
Steven Bradbury won an amazing gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. This was in the men's 1,000 meter short-track event.
He won his first race easily. But in the next round, he was in a tough race with two favorites: Apolo Anton Ohno from the USA and Marc Gagnon from Canada. Only the top two could move on. Steven finished third. He thought he was out, but Gagnon was disqualified for blocking another skater. This allowed Steven to move to the semi-finals!
A Clever Strategy
Steven and his coach, Ann Zhang, came up with a smart plan for the semi-final and final races. Steven knew he wasn't as fast as the younger skaters. So, his idea was to stay behind them and hope they crashed.
He figured that the other skaters, who were trying hard to win, might take risks and collide. If two or more fell, he would have a chance to get a medal. He felt that trying to race directly against them would only increase his own chance of falling.
The Gold Medal Moment
In his semi-final race, Steven was in last place, far behind the others. But then, three of the top skaters crashed! This cleared the way for Steven to skate past them and finish first. He was now in the final!
In the final race, Steven was again well behind. But with only 50 meters to go, all four of his competitors crashed into each other while fighting for the gold medal! Steven, who was about 15 meters behind, easily skated past the pile-up to win the gold medal.
It was an incredible moment! Steven became the first person from a country in the Southern Hemisphere to win a Winter Olympic event. The judges checked the replay, and his victory was confirmed.
After his win, Steven talked about his past injuries. He said, "I don't think I'll take the medal as the minute-and-a-half of the race I actually won. I'll take it as the last decade of the hard slog I put in." He meant that his win was a reward for all his years of hard work and overcoming injuries.
He also explained his strategy: "I was the oldest bloke in the field... I wasn't going to have any petrol left in the tank. So there was no point in getting there and mixing it up because I was going to be in last place anyway. So I might as well stay out of the way and be in last place and hope that some people get tangled up."
Steven felt that the other four skaters were under a lot of pressure to win. He thought they might take too many risks and crash. And he was right!
Steven competed in other events at the 2002 Olympics, but he didn't win more medals. His amazing gold medal in the 1,000 meters was the highlight.
Steven's Legacy
Steven's unexpected win made him a hero. Many people saw him as an example of an underdog who never gave up. His unique victory was news all over the world.
His feat even created a new saying in Australia: "doing a Bradbury." This means having an unexpected or unusual success, especially when others fail. This phrase was added to the Australian National Dictionary in 2016!
Australia Post even made a special 45-cent stamp of Steven to celebrate his victory. This was a huge honor. Before the Olympics, Steven had to borrow money from his parents to fix his old car so he could get to training. After his win, he was interviewed on many TV shows and got sponsorship deals.
Life After Skating
Steven retired from speed skating after the 2002 Olympics. He became a commentator for the Winter Olympics in 2006 and 2010.
In 2005, he was a contestant on the Australian TV show Dancing with the Stars. In 2019, he competed on Australian Survivor.
In March 2022, Steven showed his heroic side again. He was surfing with his son and rescued four teenage girls who were drowning. For this brave act, he received a special award.
Racing Cars
After his skating career, Steven also tried motor racing. He raced in different car events, showing his love for speed on the track as well as on ice.
Awards and Recognition
Steven Bradbury has received many honors for his achievements.
- In 2002, he was given the key to the City of Brisbane.
- In 2007, he received a Medal of the Order of Australia.
- He was also inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2007.
- In 2009, he was inducted into the Queensland Sport Hall of Fame.
- In 2023, he received the Commendation for Brave Conduct for rescuing the drowning girls.
See also
In Spanish: Steven Bradbury para niños
