Andrew Gabel
Encyclopedia
Andrew Alexander "Andy" Gabel (born December 23, 1964 in Chicago, Illinois) is a four-time, short track speedskating U.S. Olympian (1988, 1992, 1994, 1998) and holds a silver medal
as a member of the 1994 5000 meter Short Track relay team.
Gabel was also noted as a member of the National Short Track
Team for the longest in U.S. Speedskating history in either Long or Short Track.
, and is the son of Andy Gabel, Sr., and Evie Gabel. He has one brother and three sisters.
Gabel attended Glenbrook North High School
, and received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Marquette University
.
from 1987 to 1998. He also competed in 12 World Championships.
At the 1994 Lillehammer Games, Gabel won a silver medal as a member of the 5000 meter Short Track relay team, skating the fastest leg in the relay.
In 1994, Gabel was elected to the U.S. Speedskating's 15-member governing Board of Directors as an athlete representative. He was elected as the Office of Vice President in 1999 and became the sixth President in 2002, succeeding Fred Benjamin. Gabel negotiated sponsorship agreements with ADT
and Qwest
, during his tenure as President.
Gabel secured his Olympic Team spot during the 1998 Olympic trials in Lake Placid, NY by winning the 1000-meter and 500-meter heats, including the final 500-meter heat in 43.032 seconds, beating the old U.S. mark of 43.250 set in 1996 by Scott Koons of Cleveland, OH. The Associated Press called a 33-year-old Gabel "something of a geriatric marvel in a sport that now normally is dominated by much younger skaters."
During the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, Gabel and Amy Peterson
, the last American prospects for a medal in short track speedskating, were eliminated in the semifinals; Gabel, called "Grandpa" or "the Godfather" by his younger teammates, was knocked out in the men's 500 meter race after clipping a lane marker and tumbling into the padded boards.
Three-time Olympic medalist Peterson fell behind in the women's 1000 meter semifinal heat; that year, the U.S. Olympic team received 13 medals, matching the record set in Lillehammer
.
For the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, Andy was the Director of Figure Skating
and Short Track speedskating.
Gabel served as a member of the ISU
Short Track World Cup Management Commission from 1998 to 2002, and is presently the Chairman of the ISU Short Track Technical Committee.
On April 26, 2003, at Anaheim, CA, Gabel was elected to the speedskating hall of fame.
In August 2004, he joined The Bonham Group, a Denver-based sports marketing company; he was responsible for new business development, business planning and budgeting.
Gabel has also been a commentator for various short track speedskating events on ABC's Wide World of Sports, ESPN
and the Outdoor Life Network. Most recently he served as commentator and analyst for short track events at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
as a member of the 1994 5000 meter Short Track relay team.
Gabel was also noted as a member of the National Short Track
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...
Team for the longest in U.S. Speedskating history in either Long or Short Track.
Personal life
Gabel grew up in Northbrook, IllinoisNorthbrook, Illinois
Northbrook is a village located at the northern edge of Cook County, Illinois, which is also a North Shore suburb of Chicago. The population was 33,170 at the 2010 census....
, and is the son of Andy Gabel, Sr., and Evie Gabel. He has one brother and three sisters.
Gabel attended Glenbrook North High School
Glenbrook North High School
Glenbrook North High School, or GBN, is a public four-year high school located in Northbrook, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States...
, and received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Marquette University
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
.
Speedskating career
Gabel was a member of the National Short Track Team from 1979 to 1998, the longest in U.S. Speedskating history in either Long or Short Track; he was also a member of the National Long Track Team from 1981 to 1989. Gabel won over 75 international medals as a member of the World Short Track TeamWorld Short Track Speed Skating Championships
The World Short Track Speed Skating Championships are a senior international short track speed skating competition held once a year to determine the World Champion in individual distances, relays and Overall Classification...
from 1987 to 1998. He also competed in 12 World Championships.
At the 1994 Lillehammer Games, Gabel won a silver medal as a member of the 5000 meter Short Track relay team, skating the fastest leg in the relay.
In 1994, Gabel was elected to the U.S. Speedskating's 15-member governing Board of Directors as an athlete representative. He was elected as the Office of Vice President in 1999 and became the sixth President in 2002, succeeding Fred Benjamin. Gabel negotiated sponsorship agreements with ADT
ADT
ADT, as an acronym, may refer to:*Abstract data type, a computer programming term*Alternating decision tree, another term in computer programming*Algebraic data type, a term from functional programming...
and Qwest
Qwest
Qwest Communications International, Inc. was a large United States telecommunications carrier. Qwest provided local service in 14 western U.S. states: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.On April...
, during his tenure as President.
Gabel secured his Olympic Team spot during the 1998 Olympic trials in Lake Placid, NY by winning the 1000-meter and 500-meter heats, including the final 500-meter heat in 43.032 seconds, beating the old U.S. mark of 43.250 set in 1996 by Scott Koons of Cleveland, OH. The Associated Press called a 33-year-old Gabel "something of a geriatric marvel in a sport that now normally is dominated by much younger skaters."
During the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, Gabel and Amy Peterson
Amy Peterson
Amy Peterson is an American short track speed skater. Peterson competed in five consecutive Olympic games from when short track speed skating was exhibition sport in 1988 to 2002....
, the last American prospects for a medal in short track speedskating, were eliminated in the semifinals; Gabel, called "Grandpa" or "the Godfather" by his younger teammates, was knocked out in the men's 500 meter race after clipping a lane marker and tumbling into the padded boards.
Three-time Olympic medalist Peterson fell behind in the women's 1000 meter semifinal heat; that year, the U.S. Olympic team received 13 medals, matching the record set in Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
.
For the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, Andy was the Director of Figure Skating
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
and Short Track speedskating.
Gabel served as a member of the ISU
ISU
ISU may refer to:* International System of Unit* ISU-152, ISU-122, Soviet self-propelled guns* Integrated Security Unit* International Skating Union* International Seamen's Union* International Stereoscopic Union* Independent Study Unit...
Short Track World Cup Management Commission from 1998 to 2002, and is presently the Chairman of the ISU Short Track Technical Committee.
On April 26, 2003, at Anaheim, CA, Gabel was elected to the speedskating hall of fame.
| Olympic Record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's Speedskating Competitor for the United States | ||
| Rank | Olympic Games | Event |
| Also Completed / Disqualified | 1992 Albertville 1992 Winter Olympics The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 8 to 23 February 1992 in Albertville, France. They were the last Winter Olympics to be held the same year as the Summer Olympics, and the first where the Winter Paralympics... |
1000 m |
| 14 | 1994 Lillehammer 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... |
500 m |
| 9 | 1994 Lillehammer 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... |
1000 m |
| 2 | 1994 Lillehammer 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... |
5000 m relay |
| 7 | 1998 Nagano 1998 Winter Olympics The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice... |
500 m |
| 4 | 1998 Nagano 1998 Winter Olympics The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice... |
1000 m |
| 6 | 1998 Nagano 1998 Winter Olympics The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice... |
5000 m Relay |
Off the Ice
Gabel was also Principal and Client Relationship Officer for Barclays Global Investors.In August 2004, he joined The Bonham Group, a Denver-based sports marketing company; he was responsible for new business development, business planning and budgeting.
Gabel has also been a commentator for various short track speedskating events on ABC's Wide World of Sports, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and the Outdoor Life Network. Most recently he served as commentator and analyst for short track events at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.