Jim Shea

Biography

Jimmy Shea, the first U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist in Men’s Skeleton. A member of the first ever three-generation winter olympic family.

On February 20, 2002 Jim Shea, Jr. (Jimmy) became the first American to win the gold medal in Men’s Skeleton, and the Sheas became the first family ever with three generations of Winter Olympians, all in different sports.

Jimmy was bolstered by the spirit of the country and cheered on by thousands of spectators including his father, Jim Shea, Sr., a member of the 1964 U.S. Olympic team in Nordic Combined. But, Jimmy garnered strength and determination from one person in particular, his grandfather Jack Shea, who was killed in an automobile accident just 17 days prior to the Salt Lake Games. In his helmet he carried a picture of Jack, a double gold medallist in Speedskating at the 1932 Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York.

"I felt his presence. I was pumped! I wanted to win for him, for my family and for the entire country," said Shea immediately following his gold medal winning performance.

As a child, Jimmy excelled in extreme sports as a result of his natural ability in high speed contact competitions. He discovered Bobsledding and quickly moved to the high-risk sport of Skeleton. Now often referred to as the "Ambassador of Skeleton", Jimmy and his family lobbied heavily to reestablish Skeleton Racing after a 54 year hiatus from the Olympic Games.

As an elite athlete he has had an enormous amount of success in both national and international competition. Shea has made every national team since 1995 and within four years won the world championship. In 1998, he became the first American to win a Skeleton World Cup. In 1999, he won the Skeleton World Championships in Altenberg, Germany. For the fourth time in his career, Shea, Jr. was crowned the U.S. National Skeleton Champion in 1999. Jim once again displayed his athletic ability at the 2000 Goodwill Games where he won the gold medal in Skeleton.

A proven performer, Jimmy does not take his most recent accomplishments lightly. "There is a tremendous amount of responsibility that comes with this Olympic Gold medal," said Shea. "It is an honor I share with all Olympians past and present, with my coaches, trainers, friends and family. I hope to continue, in my Grandfather’s name, a legacy of peaceful and friendly competition among all nations."

Now, with the support of several corporate sponsors, Jimmy is focused on establishing The Shea Family Foundation in tribute to his Grandfather and Father and in recognition of all those who helped him achieve his Olympic dream in the sport of Skeleton. He is intent on continuing his training and plans to compete again in the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy.