Born: 20 January 1940

Birthplace: New York (United States)

Nationality: United States

Sport: Skating

ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956

Squaw Valley 1960

AWARDS

Olympic medals:

Gold: 1

Silver: 1

Other results:

World Championships

Gold: 5 (56, 57, 58, 59, 60)

Silver: 1 (55)

Honouring Her Mother With Gold

In 1956, 16-year-old Carol Heiss traveled to the Cortina Olympics with her mother, who was dying of cancer. She gained a silver medal and then, two weeks later, she defeated Tenley Albright for the first time to win the world championship in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

In October her mother died, but Carol Heiss took a vow to win an Olympic gold medal in her honour. This she did with extraordinary ease in 1960, earning the first-place votes of all nine judges. After the Olympics, Heiss attempted a Hollywood career, but lost interest after making one film : "Snow White and the Three Stooges".