Dan O'Brien
Track and Field

Dan O'Brien

Olympian 1996

  • 1

    GOLD

  • 0

    SILVER

  • 0

    BRONZE

Athlete Bio#

Dan O'Brien

Age

58

Hometown

Klamath Falls, OR

Education

Henle High School (Klamath Falls, Ore.) University of Idaho

Personal
Adopted at age 2...Won four state track titles at Henle High School and earned all-state honors in football and basketball...Won three world championships and five national championships throughout track career...Serves as on-field emcee for every major USA Track & Field event...Host and celebrity athlete for USATF’s Win with Integrity Program...Motivational speaker and color commentator for CBS, ESPN and NBC...Served as assistant volunteer coach at Arizona State University.
Olympic Experience
  • 1-time Olympian; 1-time Olympic medalist (1 gold)
    • Olympic Games Atlanta 1996, gold (Decathlon - Men)
World Championships Experience
  • Most recent: 1995 – gold (Decathlon - Men)
  • Years of participation: Decathlon - Men 1993, 1995; Heptathlon (Indoor) - Men 1993
  • Medals: 3 (2 gold, 1 silver)
    • Gold – 1995 (Decathlon - Men); 1993 (Decathlon - Men)
    • Silver – 1993 (Heptathlon (Indoor) - Men)

Dan O’Brien is an American former decathlete and Olympic gold medalist at the Olympic Games Atlanta 1996, the first American winner in the event since 1976. Born in Portland, O’Brien was adopted at the age of 2 and won four state track titles, while earning all-state honors in football and basketball. A three-time world champion, O’Brien overcame a number of challenges, including Attention Deficit Disorder, a stress fracture and a drinking problem. O’Brien won the decathlon at the 1994 Goodwill Games and later, the Olympic Games Atlanta 1996. The University of Idaho named its track and field facility the Dan O’Brien Track & Field Complex in 1996. O’Brien later worked as a motivational speaker, color commentator and guest analyst. He also worked closely with the United States Olympic Committee as part of its Olympic Ambassador Program to mentor younger athletes.

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