FACTOID #53: If you thought Antarctica was inhospitable, think again - its land area is only ninety-eight percent ice. Reassuringly, the other 2% is categorised as "barren rock".
Chris (Christine Diane) Witty, born 23 June 1975 in West Allis, Wisconsin, speed skater and track cyclist. One of the few American athletes that have competed in both summer and winter Olympic Games.
In speed skating, Witty has earned medals in several World Championships as well as Olympic Winter games.
1996 World Sprint Championships: gold 1996 World Single Distance Championships, 1000 m: silver 1997 World Sprint Championships: bronze 1998 World Sprint Championships: bronze 1998 Olympic Winter Games, 1000 m: silver 1998 Olympic Winter Games, 1500 m: bronze 1998 World Single Distance Championships, 1000 m: gold 2000 World Sprint Championships: bronze 2000 World Single Distance Championships, 1000 m: bronze 2002 Olympic Winter Games, 1000 m: gold
She competed in track cycling in the 2000 Summer Olympics, where she placed 5th in the 500m time trial.
What a contrast it was: ChrisWitty gliding slowly along the ice, hands on her knees, huffing and puffing as the scoreboard flashed up a time that was nearly five seconds slower than the greatest race of her life.
Witty was skating pretty well at the beginning of the season, but she injured her groin during a World Cup meet in Turin in early December.
Witty also qualified for Wednesday's 1,500, but she may cede her spot to teammate Maggie Crowley, a 19-year-old skating in her first Olympics and next on the list should one of the four Americans drop out.
ChrisWitty was subjected to sexual abuse from age 4 to 11 at the hands of a neighbor.
Witty was subjected to sexual abuse from age 4 to 11 at the hands of a neighbor in her hometown of West Allis, Wis. The man, Clarence Platteter, was a longtime "family friend."
Witty said that guilt and her memories flooded her mind, and she dealt with severe depression that twice kept her in bed for a week.
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