This day in history: Detroiter Shelia Young becomes 1st American to win 3 medals at Winter Olympics
(CBS DETROIT) - On this day in 1976, Sheila Young became the first American to win three medals at the Winter Olympics.
Sheila Young, 72, is a retired Olympic speed skater and track cyclist.
Young was exposed to speeding and cycling at a young age as her parents also competed in cycling and skating, according to Encyclopedia.com.
In 1970, Young won the U.S. National Outdoor and North American Outdoor championships in speed skating.
She competed in the Olympics for the first time in 1972. The Winter Olympics took place in Japan that year.
Young continued to train for both sports, and according to the International Olympic Committee, Young won World Championships in cycling and speed skating in 1973.
At the Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, Young made history as the first American athlete to win three medals at the Winter Olympic games.
She won a gold medal in the 500m, silver in the 1,500m and bronze in the 1,000m.
After the 1976 Winter Olympics, young won the U.S. Sprint Championship and the World Sprint title that same year.