Bethany Calcaterra-McMahon (born June 1, 1974) is an American former luger.[1] She competed at the 1994 Winter Olympics and the 1998 Winter Olympics.[2] Despite success at a junior and senior level, Calcaterra-McMahon is chiefly remembered for being in an on-track accident when she was 19,[3] involving a coach from the German team.[4]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Born | June 1, 1974 Hartford, Connecticut, United States |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Luge |
Biography edit
Calcaterra-McMahon was born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1974.[1] She won two medals at the Junior World Luge Championships, with a bronze in 1992 and a silver in 1994.[1] As a junior, she won four national titles from 1989 to 1993,[1] before winning the senior championship in 1995.[1]
In 1994, during a training run in Winterberg, Germany, Calcaterra-McMahon was involved in an accident on the luge track.[1][5] German coach Josef Lenz had gone onto the track to clean a section.[1][6] However, Lenz, who he was deaf in one ear,[1] did not hear a warning about a sled being on the track.[7] Calcaterra-McMahon, who was on the sled heading down the track, hit Lenz while travelling at more than 70mph.[1] Lenz's suffered injuries that resulted in one of his legs being amputated below the knee.[8] The two met up after the accident, prior to the 1994 Winter Olympics, with no apparent ill-feelings between them,[9] and Lenz asking if they could go dancing one day.[10]
At the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Calcaterra-McMahon competed in the women's singles event, finishing in twelfth place.[11] Four years later, at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, she competed in the same event, this time finishing in eighth place.[12] Calcaterra-McMahon retired after the 1998 Winter Olympics, due to a recurring shoulder injury.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Bethany Calcaterra-McMahon". Olympedia. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Bethany Calcaterra-McMahon Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
- ^ "Difficulty Helps These Lugers Gain Perspective : Preview: Tragedies hurt, but make Games even more special for Cammy Myler and Bethany Calcaterra-McMahon". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
- ^ "Tragic accident that injured German coach still blur to US luger". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
- ^ "Around & about German coach loses leg in luge mishap". Buffalo News. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
- ^ "Luge coach loses leg in mishap". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
- ^ "WINTER OLYMPICS: NOTEBOOK; Coach Who Lost Leg in Luge Accident Returns". The New York Times. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
- ^ "Germany's Sledding Coach Loses Leg in Luge Accident". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
- ^ "U.S. Luger, Maimed German Coach Meet Again at Games". AP News. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
- ^ "Almanack: Luger who aims to be a winner". Independent. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
- ^ "Singles, Women (1994)". Olympedia. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
- ^ "Singles, Women (1998)". Olympedia. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
