James Edmound Shea Jr. is an American retired skeleton racer who won the gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Notably, Shea became the first American to win the gold medal in Men's Skeleton on February 20, 2002.

Shea was the third generation of his family to take part in the Winter Games, making them the first family ever with three generations of Winter Olympians each competing in different sports. His father competed in nordic combined and cross-country skiing events in the 1964 Winter Olympics, while his grandfather, Jack Shea, was a double gold medalist in speed skating at the 1932 Olympic Games in Lake Placid. During his gold medal performance at the Salt Lake Games, Shea honored his grandfather by carrying a picture of him in his helmet. He was born and raised in West Hartford, Connecticut, and moved to Lake Placid, New York, in his late teens, where he transitioned from Bobsledding to Skeleton, a high-risk sport that he excelled in due to his affinity for high-speed contact competitions.

Shea made significant contributions to skeleton racing, becoming the first American to win a World Cup race and a World Championship in the sport, achieving more World Cup victories than any other American. He retired in October 2005. At the FIBT World Championships, Shea earned a complete set of medals in the men’s skeleton event with a gold in 1999, a silver in 1997, and a bronze in 2000 (tied for bronze with Austria’s Alexander Müller). His best overall seasonal finish in the Men’s Skeleton World Cup was third twice (1998-9, 2000-1). His efforts and World Championship status significantly contributed to the reintroduction of skeleton as a medal sport.

Post-retirement, Shea has become known for his motivational speaking, focusing on themes such as overcoming adversity and the power of believing in oneself. He emphasizes the importance of teamwork and likes to engage personally with event audiences before and after his talks. Additionally, he founded The Shea Family Foundation, which raises money to help kids in sports. He currently serves on the Utah Board of Economic Development.

Business, Inspirational, Olympic Athlete, Athlete, Award-Winning Athlete, Olympic Gold Medalist, Motivational, Sports Motivation, Anti-Bullying, Teamwork & Teambuilding, Sports