Leah Poulos
Encyclopedia
Leah Jean Poulos is a former speed skater
.
Leah Poulos specialized in the sprint events and made her international debut at the World Sprint Championships
(then called the ISU Sprint Championships) in 1970, where she won a silver medal in the 500 meter event. She also participated in several World Allround Championships
and competed in the 1,500 m and the 3,000 m at the 1972 Winter Olympics
. Her first World Championship title came in 1974 when she became World Sprint Champion.
Poulos participated in the 1976 Winter Olympics
in Innsbruck
and she entered in three distances. The first race was the 1,500 m, in which she finished 6th. The next day, she skated the 500 m and finished 4th – only 0.04 seconds away from a bronze medal. The day after that, she won silver on the 1,000 m, behind world record holder Tatyana Averina
, and ahead of her compatriot Sheila Young
, who took the bronze medal. Later that year, she won silver at the World Sprint Championships, behind Sheila Young.
In 1977, she won silver once more at the World Sprint Championships, this time behind Sylvia Burka
. In September of that year, she married Peter Mueller
– who had also won a medal on the 1,000 m at the 1976 Winter Olympics (his being gold). Poulos Mueller retired from competition for one year. She returned to competition in 1979 and immediately became World Sprint Champion again. The following year, Poulos Mueller finished second at the World Sprint Championships and one week later, at the 1980 Winter Olympics
, she participated in the 500 m and the 1,000 m, winning silver in both.
Leah Poulos Mueller was inducted into the National Speedskating Hall of Fame on 13 May 1988.
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...
.
Leah Poulos specialized in the sprint events and made her international debut at the World Sprint Championships
World Sprint Speed Skating Championships
The World Sprint Speed Skating Championships are annual speed skating championships. The championships are held over a two day period, with the skaters racing one 500 m and one 1,000 m each day...
(then called the ISU Sprint Championships) in 1970, where she won a silver medal in the 500 meter event. She also participated in several World Allround Championships
World Allround Speed Skating Championships
The World Allround Speed Skating Championships are a series of speed skating events held annually to determine the best allround speed skater of the world...
and competed in the 1,500 m and the 3,000 m at the 1972 Winter Olympics
1972 Winter Olympics
The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan...
. Her first World Championship title came in 1974 when she became World Sprint Champion.
Poulos participated in the 1976 Winter Olympics
1976 Winter Olympics
The 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 4–15, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria...
in Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
and she entered in three distances. The first race was the 1,500 m, in which she finished 6th. The next day, she skated the 500 m and finished 4th – only 0.04 seconds away from a bronze medal. The day after that, she won silver on the 1,000 m, behind world record holder Tatyana Averina
Tatyana Averina
Tatyana Borisovna Averina was a Soviet Russian speed skater. After getting married, her name would also appear as Tatyana Barabash .-Short biography:...
, and ahead of her compatriot Sheila Young
Sheila Young
Sheila Grace Young-Ochowicz is a former speed skater and track cyclist from the United States.-Short biography:...
, who took the bronze medal. Later that year, she won silver at the World Sprint Championships, behind Sheila Young.
In 1977, she won silver once more at the World Sprint Championships, this time behind Sylvia Burka
Sylvia Burka
Sylvia Burka is a former ice speed skater from Canada of Latvian descent, who represented her native country at three consecutive Winter Olympics, starting in 1972 in Sapporo, Japan....
. In September of that year, she married Peter Mueller
Peter Mueller (skater)
Peter Alan Mueller is a former speed skater and currently a speed skating coach....
– who had also won a medal on the 1,000 m at the 1976 Winter Olympics (his being gold). Poulos Mueller retired from competition for one year. She returned to competition in 1979 and immediately became World Sprint Champion again. The following year, Poulos Mueller finished second at the World Sprint Championships and one week later, at the 1980 Winter Olympics
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
, she participated in the 500 m and the 1,000 m, winning silver in both.
Leah Poulos Mueller was inducted into the National Speedskating Hall of Fame on 13 May 1988.
Medals
An overview of medals won by Poulos at important championships she participated in, listing the years in which she won each:| Championships | Gold medal | Silver medal | Bronze medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympics Speed skating at the Winter Olympics Speed skating has been featured as a sport in the Winter Olympics since the first winter games in 1924. Women's events were added to the Olympic program for the first time in 1960.-History:... |
1976 (1,000 m) 1980 (500 m) 1980 (1,000 m) |
||
| World Allround World Allround Speed Skating Championships The World Allround Speed Skating Championships are a series of speed skating events held annually to determine the best allround speed skater of the world... |
|||
| World Sprint World Sprint Speed Skating Championships The World Sprint Speed Skating Championships are annual speed skating championships. The championships are held over a two day period, with the skaters racing one 500 m and one 1,000 m each day... |
1974 1979 |
1976 1977 1980 |
Personal records
| Distance | Time | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 m | 41.13 | 13 January 1980 | Davos Eisstadion Davos Vaillant Arena is an arena in Davos, Switzerland. It is primarily used for ice hockey and is the home arena of HC Davos. It holds 7,080 people, of which 3,280 are seated... |
| 1,000 m | 1:23.07 | 21 January 1980 | Davos Eisstadion Davos Vaillant Arena is an arena in Davos, Switzerland. It is primarily used for ice hockey and is the home arena of HC Davos. It holds 7,080 people, of which 3,280 are seated... |
| 1,500 m | 2:13.98 | 31 January 1976 | Davos Eisstadion Davos Vaillant Arena is an arena in Davos, Switzerland. It is primarily used for ice hockey and is the home arena of HC Davos. It holds 7,080 people, of which 3,280 are seated... |
| 3,000 m | 5:11.43 | 26 January 1976 | Madonna di Campiglio Madonna di Campiglio Madonna di Campiglio is a village and a ski resort in northeast Italy. It is a frazione of the comune of Pinzolo. The village lies in the Val Rendena at an altitude of 1,522 m... |
Sources and external links
- Leah Poulos at SkateResults.com
- Personal records from Jakub Majerski's Speedskating Database
- The National Speedskating Museum and Hall of Fame
- Mid-America Speedskating Team - coached by Leah's father, Sam Poulos. Contains pictures of Leah in the Photo Gallery.