Nelson Vails

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2015}}

{{Infobox cyclist

| name = Nelson Vails

| image = NelsonVailsFeb07.jpg

| caption = Vails in February 2007

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|10|13}}

| birth_place = Harlem, New York

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{{MedalSport | Men's cycling }}

{{MedalCountry | {{USA}} }}

{{MedalCompetition | Olympic Games }}

{{MedalSilver | 1984 Los Angeles | Individual Sprint }}

{{MedalCompetition | Pan American Games }}

{{MedalGold | 1983 Caracas | Individual Sprint }}

| show-medals = yes

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Nelson Beasley Vails (born October 13, 1960) is a retired road and track cyclist from the United States. He rode as a professional from 1988 to 1995 representing the US at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California, where he became the first African American and first person of African descent to win an Olympic medal in cycling.{{Cite web|last=Bowen|first=Bob|title=Nelson Vails {{!}} USBHOF|url=https://usbhof.org/inductee/nelson-vails/|access-date=2021-08-01|language=en-US}} He won the silver medal in the sprint, behind countryman Mark Gorski.{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/va/nelson-vails-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418045208/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/va/nelson-vails-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 18, 2020 |title=Nelson Vails |accessdate=May 29, 2015}} He was inducted to the US Bicycle Hall of Fame in 2009.

Vails was also seen as a New York bicycle messenger in the film Quicksilver. He didn't just play a bicycle messenger in "Quicksilver," he worked as one in New York City. His nickname was "The Cheetah."{{cite web |title=Fastest Cat – Nelson Vails |author=Mara Bovsun |url=http://www.billcotton.com/major_taylor_bicycle_club.htm |accessdate=2011-07-26}} After his sporting career he has worked as a cycling commentator for major TV networks and taken part in cycling safety programs.

In 2005 Vails was inducted into the Lehigh Valley Velodrome Cycling Hall of Fame.{{cite web |title=Hall of Fame |url=https://thevelodrome.com/about-the-valley-preferred-cycling-center/ |publisher=Valley Preferred Cycling Center |accessdate=February 6, 2017}}