One Olympic feat that will never be broken

Christa Luding-Rothenburger has a cool name and an even cooler record.

Howdy! It’s Joey, back with more Fun Fact Friyay. If you’re already sick of the Olympics, well…I’ll probably disappoint you with another Olympiad moment.

We’ve got a need…a need for speed…skating. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

Speed skater and track cyclist Christa Luding-Rothenburger is the only athlete to win a medal at the Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics in the same year.

We’ve had a lot of cool moments during these Olympics. Of course, Simone Biles becoming the most decorated Olympic gymnast while simultaneously becoming the most decorated Instagram trash-talker has understandably garnered the most headlines.

Snoop Dogg’s commentary over a back-and-forth badminton point between Team USA and China made me giggle more than it should have.

We’ve had a gouda time with Italy’s Giorgia Villa, whose partnership with Parmigiano Reggiano allowed her to participate in a photo shoot where she did the splits across four wheels of cheese.

Living out all of our cheesiest dreams. (Photo credit)

All of these folks will never accomplish what Christa Luding-Rothenburger pulled off, however.

When she was still known as Christa Rothenburger, the East German competitor was a top speed skating sprinter. From 1979 to 1992, she won eight medals at the World Sprint Championships, including two world champion honors in 1985 and 1988.

In 1980, her coach, Ernst Luding, told her to give cycling a try, too. It would be a nice counterbalance to speed skating, and cycling is a wonderful leisurely activity. Surely, competitive cycling would be just as fun, right?

When you’re very good at it, yes. Yes, it is. Rothenburger took gold in the women’s sprint at the 1986 World Cycling Championships and followed it up with a silver in 1987. She also received a Star of People’s Friendship in gold for her good sportsmanship and friendliness to other competitors.

But forget about friendliness for a minute—we’ve got Olympic medals to win.

Rothenburger headed to Alberta, Canada, for the 1988 Winter Olympic games. She took home a gold medal in 1,000-meter speed skating and silver in the 500 meters.

Just over seven months later, she found herself in Seoul for the Summer Olympics. She finished second in the 1,000-meter sprint in track cycling, securing a silver medal.

From 1924 to 1936 and again from 1948 to 1992, the Summer and Winter Olympics happened in the same year, though very few athletes even participated in both. That extended break was due to World War II, which sort of stood in opposition to the Olympic theme of togetherness.

The 1994 Winter Games in Lillehammer, Norway, preceded the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta. We’ve kept up that two-year cycle ever since, except for the 2020 Summer Olympics, which got bumped to 2021 because of Covid, but are still referred to as the 2020 Olympics. That’s all semantics, I suppose.

In between, Rothenburger married Luding, her coach, and became Christa Luding-Rothenburger.

And George Michael’s “Faith” was the hottest-selling single of the year, per Billboard. 1988 was a big year!

Luding-Rothenburger snagged one more medal during the 1992 Winter Olympics, winning bronze in the 500-meter speed skating event for the now-unified Germany. She announced her retirement from the sport shortly after.

So, while you’re watching Olympic records get broken this year, give a nod to Christa Luding-Rothenburger. And maybe eat some cheese while you’re at it.