Nancy Kerrigan

Nancy Kerrigan
Name	Nancy Kerrigan
Country	United States
Full name	Nancy Ann Kerrigan
Birth date	13 October 1969
Birth place	Woburn, Massachusetts, U.S.
Former coach	Evy Scotvold, Mary Scotvold
Former choreographer	Sandra Bezic
Skating club	The Skating Club of Boston
Retired	1994

Nancy Kerrigan is a former American figure skater. She is a two-time Olympic medalist, winning bronze at the 1992 Winter Olympics and silver at the 1994 Winter Olympics. Her career was famously impacted by a physical assault orchestrated by the ex-husband of rival Tonya Harding prior to the 1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Following her skating career, she has worked extensively as a television commentator and motivational speaker.

Early life and education

Born in Woburn, Massachusetts, she was the daughter of a welder and a homemaker. She began skating at age six, showing immediate promise at local rinks like the Baldwin Ice Arena. Her training was supported financially by her father, who took on extra work, and later by the Ice Skating Institute. She attended Stoneham High School in Stoneham, Massachusetts, balancing a rigorous training schedule with her academic studies. Her early coaching was under the guidance of Evy Scotvold and Mary Scotvold, who would remain her primary coaches throughout her competitive career.

Figure skating career

Her senior competitive debut came at the 1990 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, where she finished third. She quickly ascended the national and world ranks, winning the silver medal at the 1991 World Figure Skating Championships behind Kristi Yamaguchi. The following year, she secured a spot on the United States Olympic Committee team for the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, capturing the bronze medal. She won her first and only U.S. Figure Skating Championships title in 1993. Known for her elegant style and strong technical elements, particularly her spiral sequences, she was a consistent contender for the podium at major events like the World Figure Skating Championships and the Skate America international competition.

1994 attack and aftermath

On January 6, 1994, she was clubbed on the right knee after a practice session at Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan, in preparation for the 1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The investigation by the Detroit Police Department revealed the attack was planned by Shawn Eckardt and Shane Stant, associates of Jeff Gillooly, the ex-husband of her rival Tonya Harding. The incident, which dominated global media, led to her withdrawal from the national championships. The United States Figure Skating Association ultimately granted her a berth on the 1994 Winter Olympics team for the Lillehammer Games. In a dramatic Olympic final broadcast by CBS Sports, she won the silver medal, finishing second to Oksana Baiul of Ukraine, while Harding placed eighth.

Post-skating career

After retiring from amateur competition following the 1994 World Figure Skating Championships, she performed for several years with touring productions like Disney on Ice and Stars on Ice. She transitioned into television work, serving as a commentator for networks such as Fox Broadcasting Company, ESPN, and Turner Network Television on events like the Goodwill Games. She has also appeared on numerous television shows, including *Dancing with the Stars* and *The Apprentice*. She works as a motivational speaker for corporations and authored a book on fitness.

Personal life

She married her agent, Jerry Solomon, in 1995. The couple has three children and resides in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. Her family was profoundly affected by the death of her father, Daniel, following a physical altercation with her brother in 2010. She has been involved with various charitable organizations, including those supporting vision-impaired children, drawing from her own experience with her mother, who was legally blind.

Legacy and honors

She is remembered as one of the most graceful skaters of her era and a central figure in one of the most notorious scandals in Olympic Games history. Her story has been depicted in several films and documentaries, including the Academy Award-nominated film *I, Tonya*. She was inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2004. Her competitive achievements, including her Olympic medals and her U.S. Figure Skating Championships title, remain a significant part of the sport's history in the United States.

Category:American figure skaters Category:Olympic figure skaters for the United States Category:1969 births