Chris Waddell
Alpine Skiing

Chris Waddell

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Athlete Bio#

Chris Waddell

Age

56

Hometown

Park City, UT

Education

Eaglebrook School Middlebury College

Personal
Born in Methuen, Massachusetts…Attended Eaglebrook School…Most decorated male monoskier in history and tied for most overall skiing medals with U.S. skier Greg Mannino (12)…Spent 11 years on the U.S. Paralympics Alpine Skiing National Team winning 32 national titles…Skier at Middlebury College before skiing accident left him paralyzed from the waist down…First paraplegic to summit Mt Kilimanjaro nearly unassisted on a handcycle in September of 2009…Published his first book called “Things I Want to Remember Not to Forget” in 2015, based on his Middlebury College Commencement Speech that landed on NPR’s list of The Best Graduation Speeches, Ever, along with three children’s books…Founder of One Revolution and Nametags…Renown keynote speaker around the world…Cycled in the Boston Marathon…Inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Paralympic Hall of Fame in 2010…Declared one “of the 50 most beautiful people in the world” by People magazine in 1998...Has served as a commentator for NBC at the Paralympic Games…Ambassador for Athletes for Hope…Married to Jean Oelwang.

A seven-time Paralympian, earning 13 Paralympic medals in alpine skiing and track and field, cementing his place as one of Team USA’s most successful two-sport athletes. Chris Waddell, is also known as the most decorated male monoskier in U.S. history. Waddell was a skier at Middlebury College before a skiing accident left him paralyzed from the waist down. Competing in his first Paralympic Games at France in 1992, Waddell took home two silver medals in slalom and giant slalom. In 1994 at the following games in Norway, he clinched four gold medals (downhill, slalom, super slalom, super-G), along with one gold and two silvers at the 1998 Paralympics in Japan (downhill, slalom, super-G). From the slopes and onto the track two years later in 2000, nothing was different, as Waddell earned silver in the Track and Field 200-meter at the games in Sydney. Waddell added three more medals, one silver, and two bronzes, to his count at the 2002 games in Salt Lake City, competing in downhill, slalom, and giant slalom. Throughout his career, he has spent 11 years on the U.S. Paralympics Alpine Skiing National team winning 32 national titles. 

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