Richard Mize

Richard Norman Mize (born December 17, 1935) is an American biathlete and cross-country skier. Born in Eagle County, he is credited as being the county's first Olympian after he competed at the 1960 Winter Olympics and placed 21st. During his college years, he earned multiple medals as part of the Western Colorado Mountaineers when they won two titles on 1956 and 1957 in cross-country skiing. He had learned the biathlon when he enlisted in the army, competing for the United States' national biathlon team in multiple competitions such as the 1959 North American Championships and two Biathlon World Championships.

After he was discharged from the army, he moved to Anchorage to become a teacher and a coach in cross-country skiing and running. There, he held administrative positions in the school and the district. Over a forty-year period, he designed multiple cross-country skiing trails in Anchorage. He was inducted to the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 and remained active in sport, winning six Masters World Championship titles. Early life, education, and NCAA Richard Norman "Dick" Mize was born on December 17, 1935, in Gilman, Eagle County, Colorado, to Harry and Pearl Mize. Richard's parents worked for the New Jersey Zinc Company at the time. He grew up in Red Cliff and frequently skied with family and friends on a track near his home in Turkey Creek and Tennessee Pass. The family had to move to Gilman during Mize's junior year of high school. He studied at Red Cliff Union High School, where he played for the school's basketball team and practiced the saxophone. He graduated from high school in 1953. Individually, Mize placed fourth, second, and third, at the NCAA championships from 1955 to 1957. He was selected to compete at the first biathlon world championships in 1958, which were held at Saalfelden, Austria. He then participated at the 1959 North American Championships, which was also a test event for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley. He placed second with a time of 1:54:21.9. He competed in his second world championships at Courmayeur, Italy in 1959.

Mize was selected to be part of the United States' team at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Squaw Valley after the trials at Tennessee Pass. The biathlon team trained at Camp Hale, with Mize stating: "It was just like being home." He is credited as being Eagle County's first Olympian.

Later years He held the rank of specialist in the army. After he was discharged from the military, he moved to Anchorage and taught physical education and biology at East Anchorage High School. He also coached skiing and cross-country running, Due to his contributions in the sport, he was inducted to the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame in 2011. He remained active as a skier, becoming a six-time Masters World Champion in the sport. In 2023, Mize was diagnosed with atrial flutter but recovered after a procedure.