It was December 1975 when a young Susan Auch stepped onto the ice for her first 500m race on Winnipeg's Sargent Park Speed Skating Oval. More than 25 years later and with 15 years of experience competing and winning at the world level, Susan is once again focused and ready. On February 14th, 2002, Susan will aimfor the podium at the Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, the fifth of her career.

Susan Auch fulfilled a dream in 1994 by winning a silver medal at the Lillehammer Winter Olympics in the women's 500m long track event. In 1998 after recovering from knee surgery Susan made Canadian history by winning her second consecutive Olympic silver medal in women's speed skating.

After a brief retirement, Susan has returned to competitive speed skating and has regained her place at the top of the international speed skating world. Susan is recognized as a high-pressure racer, and she feels that her time away has only enhanced her mindset and strengthened her love of the sport. Susan Auch plans to add another chapter, to her place in the record book in February 2002 in Salt Lake City.

Originally from Winnipeg, Susan now makes her home in Calgary where she trains at the world's fastest ice rink, the Olympic Oval. Her athletic successes, along with her personable attitude, have made her a favorite with the media and sports fans.

Susan is committed not only to her sport but also to the value of amateur sport for young Canadians. She has been involved with youth programs such as the Olympic Youth Academy, the Spirit of Sport Wall tour the YMCA Partners with Youth Program and the YMWCA in the United States. In 1997 Susan established a trust fund, for young skaters in Manitoba, which she plans to expand to other provinces.

Susan originally got involved in sports to help combat the effects of severe asthma. Good role models are hard to identify these days but Susan Auch certainly qualifies. She has endorsed this identity by being a spokesperson for the Asthma Society of Canada and for the Flight for Life program for the Canadian Lung Association. In the spring of 1998, Pfizer Canada sponsored Susan on a nationwide media tour to raise awareness about allergies and asthma, as well as promote the importance of sport for kids. The tour was a huge success with thousands of kids coming out to meet Susan in person at malls across the country.

After receiving the prestigious Bruce Kidd award for Athlete Leadership in 1999 Susan was asked to sit on the Canada Games Sport Council Sport Committee, the Board of the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport and Physical Activity and the Canadian Olympic Association's Team Selection Committee.