Connie Paraskevin

Constance Anne Paraskevin, known as Connie (married name Paraskevin-Young; born July 4, 1961) is a retired American professional track cyclist and speed skater. She is a four times sprint world champion, ten times national sprint champion and an Olympic bronze medalist.

Paraskevin began skating at the age of ten, she finished third at two 500m competitions at the world sprint speed skating championships in 1978 but did not medal. At the age of 19, she was a member of the US team at the 1980 Winter Olympics although she did not compete. Four years later she competed at the 1984 Winter Olympics.

Paraskevin campaigned to have the women's sprint event included in the 1988 Summer Olympics before going on to win a bronze medal in the event in Seoul. She went on to compete at a further two Summer Olympics before retiring at the end of 1996.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, she is the former wife of the Olympic cyclist Roger Young. Paraskevin also coached the speed skater Bonnie Blair when she briefly dabbled in track cycling. She is now the founder/director of the Connie Cycling Foundation.

Palmarès

1975 1st Intermediate Girls, US National Track Championships

1976 1st Intermediate Girls, US National Track Championships

1977 1st Junior Women, US National Track Championships

1978 1st Junior Women, US National Track Championships

1979 2nd Junior Women, US National Track Championships

1981 1st US National Criterium Championships 2nd Sprint, US National Track Championships

1982 1st Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships 1st Sprint, US National Track Championships

1983 1st Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships 1st Sprint, US National Track Championships

1984 1st Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships 2nd GP d'Osaka, Japan

1985 1st Sprint, US National Track Championships - World Record 200 m - 11.393 2nd Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships

1986 3rd Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships

1987 1st Sprint, US National Track Championships 1st Sprint, Pan American Games 3rd Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships

1988 1st Sprint, US National Track Championships 3rd Sprint, Olympic Games

1989 1st Sprint, US National Track Championships 1st Sprint, Sundance Grand Prix, USA 3rd Sprint, World Invitational, USA

1990 1st Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships 1st Sprint, ABC Olympic Cup, USA 1st Sprint, Goodwill Games, USA Velo News Oscars - U.S. Female Cyclist of the year.

1991 1st Sprint, Pre Olympic Track event, Spain 3rd Sprint, UCI Track Cycling World Championships 3rd Sprint, G.P. De Paris, France

1992 1st Sprint, US National Track Championships

1993 3rd UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics, Copenhagen 3rd Sprint, US National Track Championships

1994 1st Sprint, US National Track Championships

1995 1st Sprint, US National Track Championships 2nd Sprint, Pan American Games, Argentina

1996 1st Sprint, US National Track Championships