Steven Bradbury
Speed Skater
Steven Bradbury after the 1000m Speed Skating Sprint.
Steven Bradbury with his gold medal.
Steven Bradbury Crossing the finish line.
1994 - 2002
Steven Bradbury and his relay team won Australia's first Olympic bronze medal in the 5000m relay. The team members were Nizielski, Murtha, Hansen and Bradbury.
At the 1994 world cup event Montreal at the age of 21 another skater crashed into Bradbury and the skater's blade cut right through Bradbury's right thigh almost killing him from losing 4 litres of blood making his heart rate go up near 200. The blades sliced through all four of his quadriceps, he had to get 111 stitches and it took him 18 months to recover.
1998
In the 1998 Olympics in Japan Nizielski, Hansen, Bradbury and their new team member Goerlitz came 3rd in the 5000m relay in their heat missing out on the finals by one place. Bradbury also came 3rd in both his heats for the 500m and the 1000m speed skating sprint.
2000
In September 2000 Steven Bradbury broke his neck during a training accident from crashing head first into the barriers. From that he fractured his C4 and C5 vertebra and spent a month and a half in a halo brace as well as having to get 4 pins in his scull and screws and plates bolted into his back and chest.
2002
In the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City Steven Bradbury won a gold medal in the Men's 1000m Speed Skating. At this point Bradbury was ending his career and was just there to try his best in the finals. In the race Bradbury was coming last by quite a bit but on the last lap just as everyone was about to cross the finish line everyone accept for Bradbury fell over just in front of the finish line!