Mike Ireland
Encyclopedia
Michael Ireland (born 3 January 1974 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
) is a long track speed skater
.
Mike Ireland specialises in the sprint distances (the 500 m and the 1,000 m). He participated in the 500 m at the 1994 Winter Olympics
(finishing 26th), the 500 m (6th) and 1,000 m (14th) at the 2002 Winter Olympics
and the 500 m (7th) at the 2006 Winter Olympics
. Ireland was the 2001 World Sprint Champion
, while winning several more medals at several World Championships (see the next section), and he also set a world record on the 1,000 m (only to be broken 8 days later by compatriot Jeremy Wotherspoon
).
In November 2008 Ireland suffered a severe injury in a World Cup event in Berlin. Later in the same meet teammate Wotherspoon broke his arm in seven places. In a span of two days Canada's two strongest sprinters were placed in serious jeopardy of not skating in the 2010 Olympics in their home country. Both skaters started the long road to recovery and in the 2010 Canadian Olympic trials both succeeded in their comebacks.
Ireland qualified in the 500 and is a member of the Canadian 2010 Olympic speed skating team. He skated the fastest time of the trials 34.46 and set a personal best. Often skating in the shadow of his team mate Jeremy Wotherspoon, Ireland is the second most decorated Canadian in speed World Cup sprints.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
) is a long track speed skater
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
.
Mike Ireland specialises in the sprint distances (the 500 m and the 1,000 m). He participated in the 500 m at the 1994 Winter Olympics
1994 Winter Olympics
The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 12 to 27 February 1994 in and around Lillehammer, Norway. Lillehammer failed to win the bid for the 1992 event. Lillehammer was awarded the games in 1988, after having beat...
(finishing 26th), the 500 m (6th) and 1,000 m (14th) at the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
and the 500 m (7th) at the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
. Ireland was the 2001 World Sprint Champion
World Sprint Speed Skating Championships
The World Sprint Speed Skating Championships are annual speed skating championships. The championships are held over a two day period, with the skaters racing one 500 m and one 1,000 m each day...
, while winning several more medals at several World Championships (see the next section), and he also set a world record on the 1,000 m (only to be broken 8 days later by compatriot Jeremy Wotherspoon
Jeremy Wotherspoon
Jeremy Lee Wotherspoon is a Canadian speed skater, widely recognized as one of the greatest speedskating sprinters of all time....
).
In November 2008 Ireland suffered a severe injury in a World Cup event in Berlin. Later in the same meet teammate Wotherspoon broke his arm in seven places. In a span of two days Canada's two strongest sprinters were placed in serious jeopardy of not skating in the 2010 Olympics in their home country. Both skaters started the long road to recovery and in the 2010 Canadian Olympic trials both succeeded in their comebacks.
Ireland qualified in the 500 and is a member of the Canadian 2010 Olympic speed skating team. He skated the fastest time of the trials 34.46 and set a personal best. Often skating in the shadow of his team mate Jeremy Wotherspoon, Ireland is the second most decorated Canadian in speed World Cup sprints.
Medals
An overview of medals won by Ireland at important championships he participated in, listing the years in which he won each:World records
Over the course of his career, Ireland skated one world record:| Distance | Time | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 m | 1:08.34 | 3 March 2001 | Calgary Olympic Oval The Olympic Oval in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is a covered speed skating oval built for the 1988 Winter Olympics. It is the official designated training center for Speed Skate Canada and the Canadian National Speed Skating team. It is located on the University of Calgary campus... |