Nancy Kerrigan

From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids

Nancy Kerrigan (born October 13, 1969 in Stoneham, Massachusetts) is a two-time Olympic figure skating medalist and 1993 U.S. champion.

Kerrigan began skating at age six. She grew up with brothers who played hockey, and often joined in herself. She describes herself as having been a "tomboy". She won her first figure skating medal at age nine.^[1]

Her first placement at a major competition was at the 1991 World Figure Skating Championships, when the United States team scored a medal sweep in the ladies' event. Kerrigan received the bronze medal behind Kristi Yamaguchi and Tonya Harding. She received a bronze medal in the 1992 Winter Olympics, and the silver medal at the 1992 World Championships. The following season she became United States Champion and was leading the World Championship in Prague after the short program when a disastrous long program resulted in her tumbling to fifth in the standings and a win by Oksana Baiul.

Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan on the cover of TIME magazine, January 24, 1994

Kerrigan became the focus of national attention beyond the skating world when, on January 6, 1994, she was clubbed in the knee by Shane Stant, who was hired to assault her by Tonya Harding's ex-husband Jeff Gillooly and friend Shawn Eckhardt. Despite the unprovoked nature of the attack, as a public figure she was mocked in the press for crying "Why me? Why anyone?"

Just a month after the attack, Kerrigan went on to win the silver medal in the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer (second to Oksana Baiul). She was criticized for leaving the Olympic venue before the closing ceremonies to take part in a pre-arranged publicity parade at Walt Disney World, her $2 million sponsor, and then for being caught on microphone during the parade saying "This is dumb. I hate it. This is the most corniest thing I have ever done."^[2] She later said her remarks had been taken out of context: she was commenting not on being in the parade, but on having to wear her silver medal in the parade.

The tabloids also reported that she started dating her agent and future husband, Jerry Solomon, while he was still married to his first wife. But Solomon had been long separated from his first wife and they were headed to a divorce. In a Dateline NBC interview, she responded to the attacks and broke down because of the pressure on her everyday life.

Kerrigan retired from active competition after the Olympics, and is now married with two sons, Matthew and Brian. She has appeared in a variety of ice skating shows since turning professional. She also created The Nancy Kerrigan Foundation to raise awareness and support for the vision impaired. Kerrigan's mother is legally blind.

Kerrigan also appeared in the 2006 FOX television program Skating with Celebrities.

[edit] Competitive highlights

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Washington Post article on the clubbing
• sptimes.com Harding, Kerrigan are linked forever by skating incident
• The Top 10 Boston Sports Stories