Jordan Malone
Encyclopedia
Jordan Malone is an American
short track speed skater
who is a member of the US Olympic Team
for the 2010 Winter Olympics
in Vancouver
. He is from Denton, Texas
, and is an alumnus of the Texas Tech University Independent School District
.
and the only child of single mom, Peggy Aitken. He's lived in Nante, France; Oldebroek, Holland; Long Beach, California; Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Salt Lake City, Utah. His unusual life has taken him around the world to over 154 different cities in 18 different countries on 4 different continents.
Though he put his education on hold, Jordan plans to go to college and get an engineering degree. Jordan enjoys building and has started a business called Full Composite Racing. Jordan makes the "tips" that skaters wear on their fingers for when they put their left hands on the ice on turns. Jordan wasn't happy with the tips the skaters were using, which broke a lot and often didn't stay on. So he experimented with carbon fiber, a super strong material that is also difficult to work with. Jordan Malone now supplies much of the national team, at cost, and sells tips to other skaters to make his money back on the initial investment.
In a quote from his Official Webpage Jordan says: "I spend my free time like most people my age. I go to movies, hang with my friends, have a few hobbies, and just like being lazy sometimes. I also take my puppy Oly (short for Olympic) to the dog park almost every night. He's a one year old West Highland Terrier, and a breath of fresh air several times a day. (Oly accompanied Jordan to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.) Also on my off days, I try to get in a few hours of paintball, another sport I've dabbled in since I was 13. It's always a great way to get rid of some stress before Monday begins." Just recently Jordan also became a certified Scuba
Diver.
in 1990 at the age of 5, and participated in his first international race in 1995. He made his first World Team in 2000, and turned professional the following year. In 2001, he earned the title of most decorated junior of all time, and in 2003 he was the fastest man in the world, winning the Senior World Championships.
Jordan left the sport of Inline with a total of 8 Junior and 6 Senior World Championship titles. I also competed on the Rollerblade, Inc. and Mogema WIC (World Inline Cup
) Professional teams from 2001-2004.
Jordan credits his mother with enabling him to succeed in sports. Although she was not an athlete herself, Jordan says she taught him the life lessons he needed, including attention to detail. She also spent years driving Jordan to practices and meets, including a two-hour trip to Waco, Texas
every weekend. She even had a hand in his training: Jordan said she had a moped, which she used to pace him while he skated behind her on inlines.
Two weeks after returning, another freak accident left him hospitalized: Jordan tripped over a timing wire during a race, and went headfirst into the timing device that had no padding. When Jordan woke up in a hospital in Switzerland
, they told him he broke his upper jaw, lost four teeth, and had been convulsing during the 20 minutes it took to stabilize him at the scene. Jordan ended up with four plates and 16 screws in his head to keep his jaw in place.
Jordan momentarily considered quitting at that point. "And then, 'What am I thinking?' No way am I done," Jordan said. "This is what I love to do."
2005 World Championships: Bronze - Men's Relay
2006 World Championship: Bronze - Men's Relay
2006-07 World Cup Series: Bronze - Men's Relay (WC3); 1000m Silver (WC4); Gold - 1000m (WC5); Gold - 1500m (WC5); Bronze - 1000m (WC6)
2007 World Championships: 1500m - 4th overall; 500m - 5th overall; 3000m - 8th overall; Bronze - Men's Relay
2007-08 World Cup Series: Bronze - 1000m (WC4); Bronze - 1500m (WC4)
2008 World Team Championship: Gold
2008-09 World Cup Series: Silver - 1000m (WC5)
2009 World Championships: Gold - Men's Relay
2009 World Team Championships - Bronze
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
short track speed skater
Short track speed skating
Short track speed skating is a form of competitive ice speed skating. In competitions, multiple skaters skate on an oval ice track with a circumference of 111.12 m...
who is a member of the US Olympic Team
United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics
The United States participated in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The U.S. team had a historic Winter Games, winning an unprecedented 37 medals. Team USA's medal haul, which included nine gold, marked the first time since the 1932 Lake Placid Games that the U.S....
for the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. He is from Denton, Texas
Denton, Texas
The city of Denton is the county seat of Denton County, Texas in the United States. Its population was 119,454 according to the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the eleventh largest city in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex...
, and is an alumnus of the Texas Tech University Independent School District
Texas Tech University Independent School District
Texas Tech University Independent School District is the only accredited distance learning kindergarten through twelfth grade program in Texas offering high school diplomas. It is operated by Texas Tech University, which is located in Lubbock....
.
Personal life
Jordan is a 27 year old native of Denton, TexasDenton, Texas
The city of Denton is the county seat of Denton County, Texas in the United States. Its population was 119,454 according to the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the eleventh largest city in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex...
and the only child of single mom, Peggy Aitken. He's lived in Nante, France; Oldebroek, Holland; Long Beach, California; Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Salt Lake City, Utah. His unusual life has taken him around the world to over 154 different cities in 18 different countries on 4 different continents.
Though he put his education on hold, Jordan plans to go to college and get an engineering degree. Jordan enjoys building and has started a business called Full Composite Racing. Jordan makes the "tips" that skaters wear on their fingers for when they put their left hands on the ice on turns. Jordan wasn't happy with the tips the skaters were using, which broke a lot and often didn't stay on. So he experimented with carbon fiber, a super strong material that is also difficult to work with. Jordan Malone now supplies much of the national team, at cost, and sells tips to other skaters to make his money back on the initial investment.
In a quote from his Official Webpage Jordan says: "I spend my free time like most people my age. I go to movies, hang with my friends, have a few hobbies, and just like being lazy sometimes. I also take my puppy Oly (short for Olympic) to the dog park almost every night. He's a one year old West Highland Terrier, and a breath of fresh air several times a day. (Oly accompanied Jordan to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.) Also on my off days, I try to get in a few hours of paintball, another sport I've dabbled in since I was 13. It's always a great way to get rid of some stress before Monday begins." Just recently Jordan also became a certified Scuba
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
Diver.
Inline Speed Skating
Jordan began inline speed skatingInline speed skating
Inline speed skating is the sport of racing on inline skates It is often called inline racing by participants. Although it primarily evolved from racing on traditional roller skates, the sport is similar enough to ice speed skating that many competitors are now known to switch between inline and...
in 1990 at the age of 5, and participated in his first international race in 1995. He made his first World Team in 2000, and turned professional the following year. In 2001, he earned the title of most decorated junior of all time, and in 2003 he was the fastest man in the world, winning the Senior World Championships.
Jordan left the sport of Inline with a total of 8 Junior and 6 Senior World Championship titles. I also competed on the Rollerblade, Inc. and Mogema WIC (World Inline Cup
World Inline Cup
The World Inline Cup is the leading competition in inline speed skating. It is accredited by the International Roller Sports Federation.The cup consists of a series of marathons held throughout the year. It was founded in 1998 as the European Inline Cup, and became the World Inline Cup in 2000....
) Professional teams from 2001-2004.
Jordan credits his mother with enabling him to succeed in sports. Although she was not an athlete herself, Jordan says she taught him the life lessons he needed, including attention to detail. She also spent years driving Jordan to practices and meets, including a two-hour trip to Waco, Texas
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
every weekend. She even had a hand in his training: Jordan said she had a moped, which she used to pace him while he skated behind her on inlines.
Injuries (Inline Speed Skating)
In 2002, as an inline skater, Jordan was twice sidelined by significant injuries. First, while warming up at a meet, Jordan slipped and his left foot hit the boards and twisted, resulting in a spiral fracture. Jordan spent four months in a walking cast, during which he could only train by riding a bike or running in water.Two weeks after returning, another freak accident left him hospitalized: Jordan tripped over a timing wire during a race, and went headfirst into the timing device that had no padding. When Jordan woke up in a hospital in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, they told him he broke his upper jaw, lost four teeth, and had been convulsing during the 20 minutes it took to stabilize him at the scene. Jordan ended up with four plates and 16 screws in his head to keep his jaw in place.
Jordan momentarily considered quitting at that point. "And then, 'What am I thinking?' No way am I done," Jordan said. "This is what I love to do."
Short Track Speed Skating
Since his birth into the sport of Short Track Speed skating in 2004, Jordan has been the only skater to compete in all of the past 5 World Championships (2005–2009) for the US, making 2009 his 10th consecutive US World Championship including both Inline and Ice. He is the first skater (still the only male) to ever qualify for both Inline and Short Track World Teams, and he did so in consecutive years. In the past 5 years, He's achieved numerous World titles, including 6 World Championship medals (2009 Men's Relay GOLD). In 2007 He earned 7th overall at the ISU World Championships, and in 2008 was ranked 5th in the 1500m, and 6th in the 1000m ISU World Cup Overall classification.Career highlights
2005 World Cup 6: Gold - Men's Relay2005 World Championships: Bronze - Men's Relay
2006 World Championship: Bronze - Men's Relay
2006-07 World Cup Series: Bronze - Men's Relay (WC3); 1000m Silver (WC4); Gold - 1000m (WC5); Gold - 1500m (WC5); Bronze - 1000m (WC6)
2007 World Championships: 1500m - 4th overall; 500m - 5th overall; 3000m - 8th overall; Bronze - Men's Relay
2007-08 World Cup Series: Bronze - 1000m (WC4); Bronze - 1500m (WC4)
2008 World Team Championship: Gold
2008-09 World Cup Series: Silver - 1000m (WC5)
2009 World Championships: Gold - Men's Relay
2009 World Team Championships - Bronze