Tenley Albright Biography - Began Skating, Developed Polio, Won First U.s. Women's Title, Entered Radcliffe College - CONTACT INFORMATION

1935- American figure skater A pioneer on and off the ice, Tenley Albright was the first American woman to win a gold medal in ladies singles figure skating at the Olympics and the first American woman to win a world championship. Albright's strengths were her figures, and graceful free skates. She was as technically proficient as women figure skaters were in her day, and her success marked…

less than 1 minute read

Brian Boitano Biography - Growing Up, Champion Of The Sport, Contact Information, Chronology, Awards And Accomplishments, Further Information - SELECTED WRITINGS BY BOITANO:

Dick Button Biography - Sixteen-year-old U.s. Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist, Sportscaster And Producer

1929- American figure skater Ranked as one of the greatest figure skaters of all time—perhaps second only to Sonja Henie in terms of his impact on the sport—Dick Button remains an influential force on the contemporary scene more than fifty years after he won his second of two Olympic Gold Medals. In addition to his Olympic triumphs, Button was the reigning U.S. men's champion …

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Peggy Fleming Biography - Showed Early Promise, Chronology, Thrown Into Spotlight, Awards And Accomplishments, The Long Program: Skating Toward Life's Victories - SELECTED WRITINGS BY FLEMING:

1948- American figure skater Peggy Fleming One of the most influential female athletes of the past century, Peggy Fleming combined grace and power to create some of the most memorable figure-skating programs of her era. After winning a surprising victory at the 1964 United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA) National Championship as a fifteen-year-old, Fleming went on to capture four …

1 minute read

Rudy Galindo Biography - A Trailer Park Childhood, A Prodigy And A Partnership, Difficult Times, Turnaround And Triumph - SELECTED WRITINGS BY GALINDO:

1969- American figure skater Rudy Galindo's story is in many ways the classic American rags-to-riches tale of overcoming adversity to triumph in the end. Again and again, Galindo has over-come personal tragedies and professional setbacks that would have defeated many other athletes. When the departure of Kristi Yamaguchi from their hugely successful skating partnership left him high-and-dry…

1 minute read

Ekaterina Gordeeva Biography - An Early Start, First Olympic Gold, Second Gold Medal, A Tragic Loss, A New Life - CONTACT INFORMATION

Dorothy Hamill Biography - Begins Skating, Develops The Hamill Camel, Chronology, Wins Olympic Gold, Turns Professional As A Skater - SELECTED WRITINGS BY HAMILL:

1956- American figure skater In the mid-1970s, American figure skater Dorothy Hamill was the leader in her field, capping her success with a gold medal at the 1976 Winter Olympics. She was known for her signature "Hamill camel" and wedge/bob haircut which started a fashion craze. After the Olympics, Hamill turned professional, skating in shows and professional events, and later ownin…

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Scott Hamilton Biography - Finding His Place In The Rink, Leaping To Gold, Chronology, Overcoming Another Obstacle, Awards And Accomplishments

1958- American figure skater Scott Hamilton has experienced the highs and lows of life—from a debilitating childhood disease, to the glory of an Olympic gold medal, to the devastating diagnosis of cancer. Through it all, he has remained a beloved fixture on the figure-skating circuit, an ambassador for his sport, and an inspiration to people facing health crises. Born in Toledo, Ohio, Scott…

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Tonya Harding Biography - Began On Used Skates, Rose In Sport Despite Hardships, Chronology, The Infamous Footage, Linked To Odd Phone Query - CONTACT INFORMATION

1970- American figure skater The pre-Olympic hype prior to the 1994 Winter Olympic Games intensified considerably when American figure skater Tonya Harding was implicated in a bizarre attack on her ice rival, Nancy Kerrigan. The now infamous incident occurred some six weeks before the Lillehammer Games were to begin as Harding and Kerrigan vied for top position on the women's team at the U.…

1 minute read

Sonja Henie Biography - Early Advantages, Youthful Champion, Chronology, Turning Professional, Film Stardom, Awards And Accomplishments - SELECTED WRITINGS BY HENIE:

1912-1969 Norwegian figure skater During her lifetime Sonja Henie reigned as the "queen of ice," and today she remains the most influential individual to have been part of figure skating. During a career that spanned the 1920s, '30s, '40s, and '50s, the Norwegian skater made major contributions to women's figure skating, which would help propel the sport i…

1 minute read

Sarah Hughes Biography - Chronology, Awards And Accomplishments, Further Information - CONTACT INFORMATION

1985- American figure skater American figure skater Sarah Hughes is among the most consistent competitors in the sport, but no one expected her show at the 2003 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. Hughes, just sixteen years old, upset both the favorite, Michelle Kwan, and other strong contenders to take the gold medal in women's figure skating. Hughes was born on May 2, 1985 in Great Nec…

6 minute read

Nancy Kerrigan Biography - Early Years On Ice, Winning Ways, Attacked, Chronology, Silver Medalist, Selected Writings By Kerrigan: - CONTACT INFORMATION

Michelle Kwan - Started Skating With Sister, Chronology, Unexpected Trip To 1994 Olympics, Awards And Accomplishments, Related Biography: Skating Coach Frank Carroll - SELECTED WRITINGS BY KWAN:

1980- American figure skater Michelle Kwan The most decorated American figure skater in the sport's history, Michelle Kwan became one of the most respected and admired athletes of her generation for her grace on and off the ice. First making headlines in 1994 when she was named an alternate to the American team at the Lillehammer Olympics during the Tonya Harding scandal, Kwan was a …

1 minute read

Tara Lipinski Biography - Figure Skating Prodigy, Endured Family Separations, Chronology, Won National And World Titles, Awards And Accomplishments - SELECTED WRITINGS BY LIPINSKI:

1982- American figure skater Although her competitive career in the amateur ranks of figure skating was brief, Tara Lipinski filled the record books with her accomplishments. As a thirteen-year-old, Lipinski claimed her first national medal with a third-place finish at the 1996 United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA) National Championship in San Jose, California. The following year, in ju…

1 minute read

Viktor Petrenko Biography - A Rising Star, Professional Turned Amateur, Chronology, Awards And Accomplishments, Further Information - CONTACT INFORMATION

1969- Ukrainian figure skater An Olympic champion with a heart of gold, figure skater Viktor Petrenko is known for his finesse on skates and for the finesse of his heart. With his trademark grace and poise on the ice, he skated to gold-medal championships in international amateur competition and generously used his influence to raise funds and otherwise assist with worthy causes both international…

1 minute read

Jamie Sale and David Pelletier Biography - Growing Up On Ice, Change Partners And Skate, Together At Last, The Salt Lake Scandal

Elvis Stojko Biography - Early Influences, Taking On The World, Quest To Stay On Top, Chronology, Awards And Accomplishments

Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean Biography - Sport Or Art?, Bound For Sarajevo, A Challenge In Lillehamer, Chronology, Awards And Accomplishments - CONTACT INFORMATION, SELECTED WRITINGS BY TORVILL AND DEAN:

Katarina Witt Biography - Gave Her Life To Skating, Chronology, With Gold Came Celebrity, Held Back By Her Government - CONTACT INFORMATION

1965- German figure skater Known as "Fire on the Ice," Katarina Witt emerged from the former East Germany to become the winningest figure skater since Norway's Sonja Henie. Witt made an enormous splash onto the international scene in the 1988 Olympic Games in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, where she took her first gold medal. Sexy and charming as well as technically astute and creative…

2 minute read