Bill Demong
Encyclopedia
Bill Demong is an American
Nordic combined
skier and Olympic gold medalist. Demong is a four-time Olympian competing in Nagano, Salt Lake City, Torino and Vancouver.
His first World Cup victory came in 2002 in (Liberec
, Czech Republic
). Two more in 2007, (Lahti
, Finland
: March 9; Trondheim
, Norway
: December 8). He also has three victories in World Cup B events in the United States
in 2004 and 2005 as well. In the 2008 season Bill had one victory in Ramsau am Dachstein in the 2008 season but his first real banner year occurred in 2009 when Bill racked up five world cup victories and took third in the overall world cup standings. Heading into the 2009-2010 season Demong has 9 world cup victories and numerous top tens.
At the 2002 Winter Olympics
, in Salt Lake City, Demong placed fourth in the 4x5 km team event and 14th in the 7.5 km event.
Demong won a complete set of medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
with a gold (10 km individual large hill: 2009), a silver (15 km individual: 2007), and a bronze (10 km individual normal hill: 2009).
and Brett Camerota
in the team large hill/4x5 km, winning the silver medal.
In the 10 km individual large hill
, Demong won gold. Demong is the first American to win an Olympic gold medal in a nordic event.
After the medal ceremony held later that evening for the 10 km individual large hill event, Demong proposed to his girlfriend, Katie Koczynski
, in front of teammates and coaches at the team headquarters near Vancouver
. Koczynski said yes. Also on that same day, Demong found out he was named the flagbearer for the American team
at the closing ceremony
of the 2010 Winter Olympics on 28 February. It was Demong's teammate, Spillane, who gave Demong the courage to propose to his now wife. Demong and his fiancée discussed how this happened on NBC
's Today show the following morning.
during high school, and competed in the Nagano Olympics during his senior year.
In 2009, Demong began appearing in Alka-Seltzer
Plus television
commercials as part of the medication's sponsorship for the U.S. Ski Team.
On July 11, 2010, Demong married Koczynski in Lake Placid, New York
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Nordic combined
Nordic combined
The Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in both cross-country skiing and ski jumping.- History :While Norwegian soldiers are known to have been competing in Nordic skiing since the 19th century, the first major competition in Nordic combined was held in 1892 in Oslo at the...
skier and Olympic gold medalist. Demong is a four-time Olympian competing in Nagano, Salt Lake City, Torino and Vancouver.
Career
Demong has been competing on the world cup level since 1997.His first World Cup victory came in 2002 in (Liberec
Liberec
Liberec is a city in the Czech Republic. Located on the Lusatian Neisse and surrounded by the Jizera Mountains and Ještěd-Kozákov Ridge, it is the fifth-largest city in the Czech Republic....
, Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
). Two more in 2007, (Lahti
Lahti
Lahti is a city and municipality in Finland.Lahti is the capital of the Päijänne Tavastia region. It is situated on a bay at the southern end of lake Vesijärvi about north-east of the capital Helsinki...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
: March 9; Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
: December 8). He also has three victories in World Cup B events in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 2004 and 2005 as well. In the 2008 season Bill had one victory in Ramsau am Dachstein in the 2008 season but his first real banner year occurred in 2009 when Bill racked up five world cup victories and took third in the overall world cup standings. Heading into the 2009-2010 season Demong has 9 world cup victories and numerous top tens.
At the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
, in Salt Lake City, Demong placed fourth in the 4x5 km team event and 14th in the 7.5 km event.
Demong won a complete set of medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships have been held in various numbers and types of events since 1925 for men and since 1954 for women. Championship events include nordic skiing's three disciplines: cross-country skiing, ski jumping, and nordic combined...
with a gold (10 km individual large hill: 2009), a silver (15 km individual: 2007), and a bronze (10 km individual normal hill: 2009).
2010 Winter Olympics
Demong skied the final lap for the United States team consisting of Johnny Spillane, Todd LodwickTodd Lodwick
Todd Lodwick is an American nordic combined skier and by several measures the most successful North American in this sport ever...
and Brett Camerota
Brett Camerota
Brett Camerota is an American Nordic combined skier who has competed since 2002.Camerota was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and currently residing in Park City, Utah...
in the team large hill/4x5 km, winning the silver medal.
In the 10 km individual large hill
Nordic combined at the 2010 Winter Olympics – Individual large hill/10 km
The men's individual large hill/10 km Nordic combined competition for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada was held at Whistler Olympic Park in Whistler, British Columbia on 25 February. Austria's Felix Gottwald was the defending Olympic champion when the event was known as the...
, Demong won gold. Demong is the first American to win an Olympic gold medal in a nordic event.
After the medal ceremony held later that evening for the 10 km individual large hill event, Demong proposed to his girlfriend, Katie Koczynski
Katie Koczynski
Katherine "Katie" Koczynski Demong, is an American skeleton racer who competed internationally from 2000 until 2005. Koczynski competed on the FIBT World Cup circuit from 2002 through 2005 and placed fourth at a world cup race in Calgary in November 2003...
, in front of teammates and coaches at the team headquarters near Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. Koczynski said yes. Also on that same day, Demong found out he was named the flagbearer for the American team
United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics
The United States participated in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The U.S. team had a historic Winter Games, winning an unprecedented 37 medals. Team USA's medal haul, which included nine gold, marked the first time since the 1932 Lake Placid Games that the U.S....
at the closing ceremony
2010 Winter Olympics closing ceremony
The Closing Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics took place on February 28, 2010, beginning at 5:30 pm PST at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
of the 2010 Winter Olympics on 28 February. It was Demong's teammate, Spillane, who gave Demong the courage to propose to his now wife. Demong and his fiancée discussed how this happened on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Today show the following morning.
Personal life
Demong learned to jump through the New York Ski Educational Foundation (NYSEF). He attended the National Sports Academy National Sports Academy (Lake Placid, New York)National Sports Academy (Lake Placid, New York)
National Sports Academy is a private preparatory school for winter-sport athletes in Lake Placid, New York, United States.-History:The school began in 1977 as Mountain House, a winter tutorial program for student-athletes...
during high school, and competed in the Nagano Olympics during his senior year.
In 2009, Demong began appearing in Alka-Seltzer
Alka-Seltzer
Alka-Seltzer is an effervescent antacid and pain reliever first marketed by the Dr. Miles Medicine Company. It was developed by Treneer in Elkhart Indiana. Alka-Seltzer is marketed for relief of minor aches, pains, inflammation, fever, headache, heartburn, sour stomach, indigestion, and hangovers,...
Plus television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
commercials as part of the medication's sponsorship for the U.S. Ski Team.
On July 11, 2010, Demong married Koczynski in Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
.
External links
- Eurosport.com report on Demong's victory in Lahti, Finland. - Accessed March 9, 2007.
- U.S. Ski Team Biography