Jennifer Rodriguez is a speed skating athlete at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.
Veteran skater Jennifer Rodriguez retired after Torino, her third Olympics, and settled in to post-skating life in Miami. But two years later, she moved to Salt Lake City to begin her comeback. At the urging of then-husband K.C. Boutiette, a former Olympic skater himself, Rodriguez decided she wanted to give skating one more try. Now, at 33, she is enjoying the sport more than ever, because she feels no pressure
Rodriguez took bronze in the women's 1000m and 1500m events in Salt Lake to earn her first Olympic medals. Rodriguez finished behind compatriot Chris Witty (gold) and Sabine Voelker of Germany (silver) in the 1000m, giving the U.S. its first multiple medalists in a women's speed skating event since the 1976 Innsbruck Games. In Torino, Rodriguez finished eighth in the 1500m and 10th in the 1000m.
J-Rod made her Olympic debut at the 1998 Nagano Games after competing in speed skating for just over a year. The Miami native's goal was to finish in the top 15 and to not embarrass her country, but she exceeded her expectations with a fourth-place finish in the 3000m. Rodriguez also tallied two more top 10 results in Nagano, ranking eighth in the 1500m and 10th in the 5000m.
Rodriguez won her first world title when she was crowned the 2005 world sprint champion. She also took bronze in the women's 1500m at last year's World Single Distance Championships and was the only American woman to earn a medal in the overall World Cup standings, finishing second in the 1500m. Rodriguez earned two medals at the 2003 single distance competition, taking silver in the 1000m and bronze in the 1500m.
Rodriguez, a huge fan of her hometown Miami Heat, was honored by the team when they hosted "Jennifer Rodriguez Day," after the 2002 Salt Lake Games. At the event she was able to meet then-coach Pat Riley and several players. Rodriguez also threw out the first pitch at a Florida Marlins game following her 2002 success.
Before taking up speed skating in 1996, the Miami native was a stellar roller skater, winning a total of 12 world championship medals. She also holds the distinction of being the only athlete to win world championship medals in artistic roller skating (similar to figure skating) and speed roller skating. She went to the world championships five times in artistic skating and twice in the speed events. She was named the 1991-1992 U.S. Roller Skating Athlete of the Year.
Rodriguez began skating at age 4 when she was invited to a birthday party at a Miami roller rink. She picked it up quickly, and her parents, Emilio and Barbara, enrolled her in lessons. By the time she was 5, she was competing in artistic and speed skating. Rodriguez qualified for the world championships in roller skating for the first time in the 1992-1993 season.
Born to a Cuban father and an American mother, Rodriguez is the first Cuban-American to compete in the Winter Games. Her father, Joe, immigrated to the U.S. in the 1960s. He is a commercial artist who, among other accomplishments, designed the logo for Miami's Joe Robbie Stadium (it was painted over when the stadium was renamed Pro Player stadium), which houses the Miami Dolphins and Florida Marlins. Her brother, Eric, works for the NBC affiliate station in Miami, WTVJ. Rodriguez has two dogs and two cats that are now living with her parents, who also have one dog and five cats of their own.
Veteran skater Jennifer Rodriguez retired after Torino, her third Olympics, and settled in to post-skating life in Miami. But two years later, she moved to Salt Lake City to begin her comeback. At the urging of then-husband K.C. Boutiette, a former Olympic skater himself, Rodriguez decided she wanted to give skating one more try. Now, at 33, she is enjoying the sport more than ever, because she feels no pressure
and has maintained a life outside of skating. "I can leave skating at the rink, and go out and have a drink," she said. "Before, life was only about skating and it wasn't fun."
Rodriguez took bronze in the women's 1000m and 1500m events in Salt Lake to earn her first Olympic medals. Rodriguez finished behind compatriot Chris Witty (gold) and Sabine Voelker of Germany (silver) in the 1000m, giving the U.S. its first multiple medalists in a women's speed skating event since the 1976 Innsbruck Games. In Torino, Rodriguez finished eighth in the 1500m and 10th in the 1000m.
J-Rod made her Olympic debut at the 1998 Nagano Games after competing in speed skating for just over a year. The Miami native's goal was to finish in the top 15 and to not embarrass her country, but she exceeded her expectations with a fourth-place finish in the 3000m. Rodriguez also tallied two more top 10 results in Nagano, ranking eighth in the 1500m and 10th in the 5000m.
Rodriguez won her first world title when she was crowned the 2005 world sprint champion. She also took bronze in the women's 1500m at last year's World Single Distance Championships and was the only American woman to earn a medal in the overall World Cup standings, finishing second in the 1500m. Rodriguez earned two medals at the 2003 single distance competition, taking silver in the 1000m and bronze in the 1500m.
Rodriguez, a huge fan of her hometown Miami Heat, was honored by the team when they hosted "Jennifer Rodriguez Day," after the 2002 Salt Lake Games. At the event she was able to meet then-coach Pat Riley and several players. Rodriguez also threw out the first pitch at a Florida Marlins game following her 2002 success.
Before taking up speed skating in 1996, the Miami native was a stellar roller skater, winning a total of 12 world championship medals. She also holds the distinction of being the only athlete to win world championship medals in artistic roller skating (similar to figure skating) and speed roller skating. She went to the world championships five times in artistic skating and twice in the speed events. She was named the 1991-1992 U.S. Roller Skating Athlete of the Year.
Rodriguez began skating at age 4 when she was invited to a birthday party at a Miami roller rink. She picked it up quickly, and her parents, Emilio and Barbara, enrolled her in lessons. By the time she was 5, she was competing in artistic and speed skating. Rodriguez qualified for the world championships in roller skating for the first time in the 1992-1993 season.
Born to a Cuban father and an American mother, Rodriguez is the first Cuban-American to compete in the Winter Games. Her father, Joe, immigrated to the U.S. in the 1960s. He is a commercial artist who, among other accomplishments, designed the logo for Miami's Joe Robbie Stadium (it was painted over when the stadium was renamed Pro Player stadium), which houses the Miami Dolphins and Florida Marlins. Her brother, Eric, works for the NBC affiliate station in Miami, WTVJ. Rodriguez has two dogs and two cats that are now living with her parents, who also have one dog and five cats of their own.
Jennifer Rodriguez aka J-Rod Jennifer Rodriguez aka J-Rod Jennifer Rodriguez aka J-Rod Jennifer Rodriguez aka J-Rod Jennifer Rodriguez aka J-Rod Jennifer Rodriguez aka J-Rod Jennifer 'J-Rod' Rodriguez Pictures
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