Derek Parra
Encyclopedia
Derek Parra is a Mexican-American speed skater
from San Bernardino
, California
, who graduated from Eisenhower High School (Rialto, California)
in 1988. Parra won two medals at the 2002 Winter Olympics
, held in Salt Lake City
, Utah
.
Parra was originally a world champion inline speed skater
. Following the lead of KC Boutiette
, he switched to ice skating in the late 1990s as it was the only way he would have a chance of going to the Olympics as a speed skater.
Parra started speed skating at stardust skating center in San Bernardino
Parra's most successful season was from 2001 to 2002. At the 2002 Winter Olympics
, he took the gold in the 1500 meters, an event in which he had been expected to do well but faced a deep pool of competition. Before that, he had surprisingly won the silver in the 5000 meters, an event in which he had not been expected to place but in which he briefly held the world record before being bested by Jochem Uytdehaage
of the Netherlands
.
Derek Parra was selected to take over as U.S. speed skating national all-around coach for the upcoming 2010 Olympics.
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
from San Bernardino
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, who graduated from Eisenhower High School (Rialto, California)
Eisenhower High School (Rialto, California)
Dwight D. Eisenhower High School , is located in Rialto, California, United States on the corner of Baseline Avenue and Lilac Ave. The school is named for U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower....
in 1988. Parra won two medals 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...
, held in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
.
Parra was originally a world champion inline speed skater
Inline speed skating
Inline speed skating is the sport of racing on inline skates It is often called inline racing by participants. Although it primarily evolved from racing on traditional roller skates, the sport is similar enough to ice speed skating that many competitors are now known to switch between inline and...
. Following the lead of KC Boutiette
KC Boutiette
KC Boutiette is an American speed skater from Tacoma, Washington and four-time Olympian.He was first of the wave of inline speed skaters who made the transition from inline to ice in order to have a shot at going to the Olympics.Among American speed skaters, Boutiette's story is half legendary...
, he switched to ice skating in the late 1990s as it was the only way he would have a chance of going to the Olympics as a speed skater.
Parra started speed skating at stardust skating center in San Bernardino
Parra's most successful season was from 2001 to 2002. 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...
, he took the gold in the 1500 meters, an event in which he had been expected to do well but faced a deep pool of competition. Before that, he had surprisingly won the silver in the 5000 meters, an event in which he had not been expected to place but in which he briefly held the world record before being bested by Jochem Uytdehaage
Jochem Uytdehaage
Jochem Simon Uytdehaage is a former Dutch long track speed skater and two-time Olympic champion. He retired in 2007 at the age of 30, following two consecutive seasons of poor results.-Biography:...
of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Derek Parra was selected to take over as U.S. speed skating national all-around coach for the upcoming 2010 Olympics.
External links
- Derek Parra's U.S. Olympic Team bio ... with notes, quotes, photos
- Photos of Derek Parra
- Profile on SkateResults.com