Terry McDermott

Who is Terry McDermott?

Richard Terrance "Terry" McDermott is an American gold and silver medal winning Olympic speed skater.

McDermott was a surprise winner in the 500 m at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck when he beat the favourite in that distance, reigning Olympic champion Yevgeny Grishin, by half a second. His coach at the time was Leo Freisinger, the 500 m bronze medal winner of the 1936 Winter Olympics. McDermott's international career consisted exclusively of the 500 m at the Olympic Winter Games of 1960, 1964 and 1968.

McDermott was inducted in the National Speedskating Hall of Fame on June 4, 1977. At the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, McDermott took the Olympic Oath representing the judges. He currently resides in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He is married to Virginia, and has 5 children and 11 grandchildren.

Broadcaster Jim McKay once said of McDermott, "Terry is the epitome of an amateur athlete."

On February 9, 1964, McDermott was a guest on The Ed Sullivan Show, an appearance that was overshadowed by the first U.S. performance of The Beatles.