Colin's Story
1931 – 1999
The diminutive Melburnian, Colin Hickey, competed in speed skating at the Olympic Winter Games at Oslo 1952, Cortina d’Ampezzo 1956 and Squaw Valley 1960. As a 20-year-old at Oslo, in the famous Bislett Stadium, he skated in the 500, 1500 and 5000 metres events, with a best placing of 28th in the longest race.
Four years later in the Italian Alps, where he added the 10,000 metres to his program, he finished equal seventh in the 500 metres and outright seventh in the 1500 metres. These two placings have only once been bettered by an Australian long track skater; by Colin Coates in the 10,000 metres at Innsbruck 1976. Hickey closed his Olympic career with a 13th in the 500 metres and a 14th in the 1500 metres at Squaw Valley. At the world championships at Davos, Switzerland earlier in 1960, he finished third in the 500 metres.
Whilst still a teenager Hickey moved to Norway in the northern winters to train with speed skating experts and to have a base from which he could travel to competitions in Europe. To finance his stays in Scandinavia he at times worked as a lumberjack. Late in his life, he said that he was never given an official team uniform except bits and pieces like at tie, a pullover and a duffle coat.
