As the blades of his skates cut into the ice during the final lap of his Olympic speed skating career, Milwaukee native Dan Jansen hadn’t just come full circle on the track. He had also fulfilled a promise made nearly a decade earlier: he would win Olympic gold.
Jansen is best known for his iconic victory at the 1994 Lillehammer Games. In the years since, the former U.S. Olympic speed skater has continued to leave a lasting impact on his community and the sporting world.
Jansen’s Olympic debut came at the 1984 Sarajevo Games, where, at 18, he placed fourth in the 500 meters.
“I was just happy to be there,” Jansen said. “My only goal was to make the team, and I did that. Then I got there and it was all a bonus.”…