Nelson Vails
Vails in February 2007 | |
Personal information | |
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Born |
Harlem, New York | October 13, 1960
Medal record
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Nelson Beasley Vails (born October 13, 1960) is a retired road and track cyclist from the United States. He rode as a professional from 1988 to 1995 representing the USA at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California, where he won the silver medal in the sprint, behind countryman Mark Gorski.[1] Vails was the first African-American cyclist to win an Olympic medal and he was inducted to the US Bicycle Hall of Fame in 2009.
Vails was also seen as a New York bicycle messenger in the film Quicksilver. He didn't just play a bicycle messenger in "Quicksilver," he worked as one in New York City. His nickname was "The Cheetah.".[2] After his sporting career he has worked as a cycling commentator for major TV networks and taken part in cycling safety programs.
Vails entered the Lehigh Valley Velodrome Cycling Hall of Fame.[3]
Palmarès
- 1983
- 1st Pan American Games, individual sprint
- 1984
- 2nd Olympic Games, sprint
- 1st US National Track Champion, individual sprint
- 1st US National Track Champion, tandem sprint
- 1985
- 1st Track World Champion, tandem sprint
- 1st US National Track Champion, tandem sprint
- 1986
- 1st US National Track Champion, tandem sprint
References
- ↑ "Nelson Vails". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
- ↑ Mara Bovsun. "Fastest Cat – Nelson Vails". Retrieved 2011-07-26.
- ↑ "Hall of Fame". Valley Preferred Cycling Center. Retrieved March 3, 2014.