George Van Meter grew up in St. Louis where he started racing bicycles and competing in speed skating. In addition to his Olympic appearance, Van Meter competed for the United States at the 1959 Pan American Games, where he placed 14th in the road race, and fifth with the US team in the team road race. Van Meter served in the US Army, leaving with the rank of captain. After graduating from Vanderbilt, he entered law school, but while studying law, he sustained a closed head injury in a serious bike crash and was hospitalized for almost a year. However, he recovered well from his injuries and was able to graduate from law school, eventually practising law in Bakersfield, California for almost 35 years.
United States