This summer, the world will come together to cheer on their favorite athletes at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France. Paris proudly continues its Olympic legacy, having already hosted the Summer Games in 1900, 1924, and now a hundred years later in 2024. In 1900, 1,226 athletes competed; by 1924, the number had grown to 3,088. In 2024, Paris will welcome 10,500 athletes. This year also marks a historic milestone: for the first time, the Olympics will have gender parity, with an equal number of male and female athletes competing.
Competing in the Olympic Games is the height of athletic achievement, demanding immense dedication, skill, and versatility. While most athletes devote their careers to mastering a single sport, a select few have achieved the extraordinary feat of competing in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. These remarkable individuals showcase their talent across different disciplines and embody the spirit of Olympism. This month, we delve into the inspiring journeys of some of these dual-season Olympians.
The Early Years: 1910s – 1930s
István Déván:
István Déván became the first athlete to compete in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. At the 1912 Summer Games in Stockholm, Sweden, Déván represented Hungary in athletics. He reached the 200m event semi-finals and competed in the 400m and 4×400 relay. Déván transitioned his athletic skills to skiing, where he again represented Hungary at the first Olympic Winter Games in 1924, held in Chamonix, France. He competed in cross country skiing, nordic combined, and ski jumping. Although he did not win any medals during his Olympic career, Déván’s participation in these Olympic Games highlights his dedication and impressive athletic talent in the early era of the modern Olympic movement.
Eddie Eagan:
Eddie Eagan was a remarkable figure in Olympic history, distinguished for his unique accomplishment of winning gold medals in both the Summer and Winter Games. The Colorado-born athlete first gained recognition at the 1920 Antwerp Summer Olympic Games, winning a gold medal in boxing in the light heavyweight division. Eagan later competed in the 1932 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, USA, competing in the 4-man bobsleigh event. Eagan secured his second gold medal in this event alongside his teammates, Billy Fiske, Clifford Gray, and Jay O’Brien. This extraordinary feat makes Eagan the first and only athlete to have won gold in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
Jacob Tullin Thams:
Norwegian athlete Jacob Tullin Thams was another athlete who won medals in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. At the 1924 Olympic Winter Games in Chamonix, France (the first Winter Games), he won the gold medal in ski jumping, becoming the first-ever Olympic champion in that discipline. Thams represented Norway once more in ski jumping for the 1928 Winter Games in St. Moritz, Switzerland. He executed the longest jump at 73 meters but fell upon landing. The fall resulted in losing style points, and he finished in 28th place. Undeterred, Thams returned to the Olympic stage, this time competing in the 1936 Berlin Summer Games. As a member of the Norwegian crew, Thams won a silver medal in the 8-metre sailing event.
The 80s, 90s, and 2000s
Christa Luding-Rothenburger:
German athlete Christa Luding-Rothenburger is known for her speed skating and track cycling achievements at the Olympic Games. Luding-Rothenburger began her Olympic journey in speed skating, competing at the 1980 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid. Although she did not medal, she returned to the 1984 Winter Games in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, where she won the gold medal in the 500m event. She continued to excel in speed skating, securing three more medals at subsequent Winter Games (1988 and 1992). Luding-Rothenburger transitioned to track cycling after her coach, Ernst Luding (who she married in 1988), suggested she begin cycling during her off-season from speed skating. She competed in the 1988 Seoul Summer Games and secured the silver medal in the sprint event. Luding-Rothenburger made history by becoming the first and only athlete to win medals in both the Winter and Summer Olympics in the same year.
Clara Hughes:
Canadian athlete Clara Hughes is well known for her success in cycling and speed skating at the Olympic Games. Hughes made her Olympic debut in cycling, winning two bronze medals at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games. She then transitioned to speed skating and competed in her first Olympic Winter Games in 2002 Salt Lake City, USA. Hughes won the bronze medal in the 5,000m event at these Winter Games. After winning this bronze medal in 2002, Hughes joined the elite club of athletes who won medals in the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. Her success in speed skating continued as she represented Canada in 2006 in Turin, Italy, where she won the silver medal in the team pursuit event and the gold medal in the 5,000m event. Hughes added another bronze medal to her collection in the 5,000m event at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada.
Jeroen Straathof:
Jeroen Straathof, a Dutch Olympian, achieved the distinction of competing in the Winter Olympics, the Summer Olympics, and the Paralympic Games despite not having a disability himself. He initially gained recognition in speed skating, participating in the 1994 Winter Games in Lillehammer, Norway, where he finished 9th in the 1,500m event. Straathof later transitioned to cycling and represented the Netherlands in the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, Greece, placing 5th in the 4,000m team pursuit event. His involvement in the Paralympic Games began when he accompanied his girlfriend, a member of the Dutch wheelchair basketball team, to the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta, USA. It was at these Paralympic Games that Straathof met blind cyclist Jan Mulder. The two partnered and began competing in tandem cycling races with Straathof as the visual guide. After securing second place at the 1998 World Championships and winning the 1999 European Championships, Straathof and Mulder triumphed with a gold medal at the 2000 Summer Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia, in the individual pursuit tandem open event.
Lauryn Williams:
American Olympian Lauryn Williams is known for her talent on the track and in the bobsled. Williams made her Olympic debut at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, winning a silver medal in the 100 meters. She continued her success in the following Olympic Games, securing the gold medal in the 4×100 meters relay at the 2012 Summer Games in London, England. Williams seamlessly transitioned to bobsled, winning a silver medal in the two-woman bobsleigh event at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games with her teammate Elana Meyers Taylor. After this silver medal, Williams became the first American woman and fifth athlete in history to compete and medal in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
2010s and Onward
Seun Adigun:
Born in Chicago, IL, Seun Adigun is a first-generation Nigerian with an impressive athletic and Olympic career. Initially competing in track and field, Adigun represented Nigeria in the 100-meter hurdles event at the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games. Her athletic journey continued when she transitioned to winter sports, becoming a pioneer in bobsledding. Adigun founded the first-ever African bobsled team, which led the first winter federation of any sport to represent Nigeria at the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea. Adigun piloted the Nigerian bobsled at these Olympic Winter Games, finishing with a time of 3:29:600. Additionally, in 2018, the International Olympic Committee recognized Adigun as the first African to compete in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
Oksana Masters:
Oksana Masters is a highly accomplished Paralympian known for her extraordinary versatility across multiple sports. Born in Ukraine in 1989, Masters was born with multiple congenital disabilities as a result of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster. At the age of 7, she was adopted by an American mother and moved to Buffalo, New York. A few years later, she was introduced to rowing, and from there, her passion for sports and competing began. She competed in rowing in her first Paralympic Summer Games in 2012 in London, England, where she became the first American to win a bronze medal in the trunk and arms mixed double sculls event. Outside of rowing, Masters has a diverse athletic resume. She also competed in cycling, cross-country skiing, and biathlon, earning numerous medals across the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games. Her impressive medal collection includes seven gold, seven silver, and three bronze medals. Masters will represent Team USA at the 2024 Summer Paralympic Games in cycling.
Each athlete has an inspiring story, demonstrating the passion, dedication, and resilience it takes to compete in and medal in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. As we prepare to cheer on our favorite athletes at the 2024 Summer Olympic & Paralympic Games in Paris, it is important to acknowledge and celebrate the diverse backgrounds and journeys that have brought them to this global stage. In just a few days, we will witness a mixture of cultures, talents, and stories, all united by the Olympic and Paralympic spirit. This event will showcase top athletic competition and foster a sense of global camaraderie and mutual respect. It is an opportunity for the world to come together, celebrate our shared humanity, and be inspired by the extraordinary tales of those who embody the Olympic ideals.
Written by Julia Herman