Dan Jansen is an eight-time world record-holder in speed skating. He was the first man to break thirty-six seconds in the 500-meters, and winner of more than thirty World Cup races, fifty World Cup medals, and twenty World Championship medals. He won the overall World Cup title seven times.

But the name Dan Jansen is familiar to all Olympic fans, not by the number of his successes, but rather by the tenacity of his resolve. Dan qualified onto his first Olympic Team in 1984, where he finished fourth in Sarajevo. Four years later in Calgary, he was favored to win gold. The sad news of his sister's death from leukemia reached him on the morning of his race. Falls in both of his events proved the terrible impact of the shock. Four years later, at the Games in Albertville, he finished fourth place in the 500-meter and once again failed in his quest for that elusive Olympic medal.

By the time he attended his fourth Olympic Games in Lillehammer, even his competition seemed to be rooting for his success. His book, Full Circle, recounts the story of his journey from the depths of his disappointment to the top-award stand - and his solitary Olympic Gold medal.

Since retiring from speed skating, Dan addresses audiences with his heartfelt motivational message. He covers his sport on CBS television.

Awaken the Olympian Within
Stories from America's Greatest Olympic Motivators
Paperback $19.95
© 1999, Griffin Publishing; ISBN: 1882180984
288 pages

For information on purchasing the book from bookstores or here online, please go to the Web page for Awaken the Olympian Within (Griffin Publishing) or Awaken the Olympian Within (Amazon).