Brian Boitano
Figure skater Brian Boitano put on the performance of his life at the Calgary 1988 Olympic Winter Games, defeating rival Brian Orser of Canada to win the gold medal.
Figure skating is one of the most popular winter Olympic sports. The sport was first introduced in the 1908 Summer Olympic Games and moved to become part of the Winter Games in 1924. It was one of the first sports with a category for women and the only Winter Olympic sport with women competitors until 1936.
Figure skating events include freestyle, pairs, ice dance and synchronized team skating. Ice dancing didn’t become an Olympic sport until 1976. Team figure skating is the newest Olympic skating event that first started in the 2014 Sochi Games.
The United States has played a dominate role in Olympic figure skating over the years. Tenley Albright became the first lady’s skater from the U.S. to win a gold medal at the 1956 Cortina d’Ampezzo Games. Carol Heiss won gold in the 1960 Squaw Valley Games. American brothers Hayes and David Jenkins won successive Olympic gold medals at the 1956 and 1960 Games. Peggy Fleming took home the lady’s gold medal for the United States at the 1968 Grenoble Games. Other famous names in figure skating include Michelle Kwan, Scott Hamilton, Brian Boitano and Kristi Yamaguchi.
Figure skater Brian Boitano put on the performance of his life at the Calgary 1988 Olympic Winter Games, defeating rival Brian Orser of Canada to win the gold medal.
After the U.S. figure skating delegation was wiped out by a plane crash en route to the 1961 World Championships, Italian Coach Carlo Fassi was brought to the United States to rebuild the program.
Carol Heiss won a silver medal at the Cortina d’Ampezzo 1956 Olympic Winter Games, then won four consecutive U.S. and World championships and gold at the Squaw Valley 1960 Olympic Winter Games.
Dick Button claimed back-to-back gold medals at the St. Moritz 1948 Olympic Winter Games and Oslo 1952 Olympic Winter Games.
Dorothy Hamill inspired a generation of girls. With her bob haircut and peaceful nature, Hamill was brilliant, skating to the ladies’ singles gold medal at the Innsbruck 1976 Olympic Winter Games.
Kristi Yamaguchi won the ladies’ singles figure skating gold medal at the Albertville 1992 Olympic Winter Games.
Michelle Kwan sits as the most decorated figure skater – male or female – in the United States, having won 43 championships.
Peggy Fleming made her Olympic debut at the Innsbruck 1964 Olympic Winter Games and won gold at the Grenoble 1968 Olympic Winter Games. She is credited with reviving American figure skating.
Doctors were unable to determine the cause of Scott Hamilton’s childhood illness; but his recovery included ice skating — the impetus for his gold medal at the Sarajevo 1984 Olympic Winter Games.
Tenley Albright contracted polio at age 11 and doctors wondered whether she would walk again. Six years later, she won an Olympic silver medal in figure skating and would win gold four years after that.
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