You'll Scuttle Out Seeing These U.S. Olympic Figure Skaters Then & Now: Michelle Kwan, Tara Lipinski & Extra
As Team USA's pick skaters hit the ice at the 2026 Cool climate Olympics, rob a closer detect at where Olympic legends like Tonya Harding, Nancy Kerrigan and Kristi Yamaguchi and more are in reality.
Team USA is ready to dazzle with twizzles, waltzes and unforgettable jumps on the ice.
On the least, U.S. pick skaters like Amber Glenn, Madison Chock and Evan Bates, are competing for gold at the Milano Cortina 2026 Cool climate Olympics origin Feb. 6.
Among the many most recognizable stars is Alysa Liu, who laced up her skates once again after before all the pieces retiring at age 16. The athlete, who placed sixth at the 2022 Video games, doesn't remorseful about stepping again from the sport for a few years.
“Quitting became certainly, and soundless to for the time being, one among my easiest decisions ever,” Alysa, now 20, outlined at the Team USA Media Summit in October. “I fair correct had to rob a detect at a bunch of other things, and at the time, I conception the becoming manner for me to attain that became to leave because I in reality felt trapped and stuck.”
And while all eyes are on this three hundred and sixty five days's team, previous Team USA Olympians ranking persevered to forge their possess paths forward. For Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir, that involves spending time at the castle for season four of The Traitors.
Even supposing the pair ranking been pals since being paired as pick skating commentators at the 2014 Sochi Cool climate Olympics, keeping their bond a secret has fundamental on the actuality competition show.
“For me, I never wished to be the particular person who leads the designate and [captures] a traitor,” Tara—who became the youngest gold medalist as a 15-three hundred and sixty five days-dilapidated at the 1998 Cool climate Video games—suggested OK! Journal in January. “Johnny and I had our possess contrivance, which became linked to our possess non-public programs.”
Since being on the sequence as Faithfuls, Tara and Johnny—who competed at the 2006 and 2010 Olympics—determined to steer clear of bodily affections, too.
“We ranking been fair correct hoping no one became going to clock that we're easiest pals,” she said. “It became rather intense to retain that going because we had to function it believable. It became provocative, however I’m proud of how we handled it. Once we first got here into the castle, we had this contrivance, and he gave me a hug, and I became like, 'That's too friendly!'”
Now, wing down for a closer detect at where essentially the most loved pick skaters are in reality.
Scott Hamilton
The 2-time Olympian obtained gold in Sarajevo in 1984, the indispensable American man to high the podium since David Jenkins in 1960. Additionally As a four-time World Champion, Hamilton went on to tour professionally and spent years as a TV commentator for CBS and NBC.
Hamilton spoke candidly about struggling with testicular most cancers after a 1997 diagnosis—”It became after I survived that I felt I could possibly suffer the rest,” he suggested Coping journal—and being treated for a habitual benign mind tumor.
“Every time I've gotten knocked down, I've been ready to gain up,” he suggested Americans in 2015. “Skating teaches you the correct technique to gain up, because you topple down loads. I would escape someone to climate the storm, because on the more than a few facet of it will be something mountainous.”
Hamilton and his partner Tracie are oldsters of four, in conjunction with two children they adopted from Haiti in 2014.
He also soundless has the skating costume he wore for his gold-a success performance and confirmed it off from his dwelling in Tennessee all the contrivance through an appearance on NBC Sports actions' “Olympic Ice” all the contrivance during the 2022 Beijing Video games.
Hamilton is marking his tenth anniversary at the tournament by making his return as a commentator at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Cool climate Video games.
Brian Boitano
On the 1988 Calgary Video games, the three-time Olympian earned his American flag-appliquéd skates a remark within the National Museum of American Historical previous with his gold medal-a success performance, exact through which he became the indispensable Olympic champion to land all six kinds of triple jumps. (He became already the indispensable skater ever to enact the feat all the contrivance during the 1983 World Championships.)
The Californian—who obtained an Emmy for Prominent Efficiency in Classical Music/Dance Programming for Carmen on Ice—got an unexpected however life-altering cry-out within the song “What Would Brian Boitano Demolish?” in 1999's South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, then hosted the Food Community's What Would Brian Boitano Accomplish?; and had cameos within the motion photos Ice Princess and Blades of Glory.
When President Barack Obama named him to the U.S. delegation to the 2014 Sochi Olympics, he also took the opportunity to come again out as gay, something he suggested reporters he hadn't essentially deliberate to attain publicly however became impressed to attain as phase of the pushback to anti-gay legislation handed in Russia.
“I don't feel that I’m able to symbolize the nation without revealing this unheard of facet of myself,” Boitano said in an announcement. “Here’s a extraordinarily crucial moment, and to symbolize my nation in Russia, it's a platform that is so crucial for me.”
While he contributed to NBC Sports actions' coverage for the 2022 Beijing Olympics, Boitano teamed up with USA TODAY columnist Christin Brennan to retain the outlet's Milan Magic video podcast for the 2026 Cool climate Video games.
Kristi Yamaguchi
The 1992 Olympic gold medalist in reality first stumbled on success as a pairs skater, teaming with Rudy Galindo to gain U.S. juniors in 1986 and world juniors in 1988.
But going solo became the switch, as her triumph in Albertville would verify. In a while, Yamaguchi—who became the indispensable Asian American girl ever to gain at the Cool climate Olympics—toured as a pro for years and primarily based the Repeatedly Dream Foundation, which presents funding for after-college programs and other academic necessities for underprivileged children.
She's made an astonishing desire of TV and listing cameos, authored a easiest-promoting children's book, launched a health video, created an active-wear line and, final however no longer least, in 2006, she became the indispensable Olympic pick skating champion to gain Dancing With the Stars.
Yamaguchi has been married to worn hockey participant Bret Hedican since 2000 (they met-adorable at the 1992 Olympics as people of Team USA) and they’ve two daughters collectively.
Having a detect again at her legacy before the 2026 Cool climate Video games, she expressed gratitude for the oppotunrity. “I thank my lucky stars every day that things worked out the manner they did,” she suggested the Nob Hill Gazette. “I’m able to’t accept as true with how my life will be if it became out in a different contrivance.”
Nancy Kerrigan
Already a bronze medalist at the 1992 Albertville Olympics, Kerrigan couldn't relieve however discontinue up particularly notorious after being clubbed within the knee while getting prepared for the 1994 U.S. Championship in Detroit, an attack spearheaded by teammate Tonya Harding's ex-husband.
After making a triumphant silver medal exhibiting at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics a month later, Kerrigan's life became a whirlwind of endorsements, cyber net hosting Saturday Night Are dwelling and other all-massive name perks (and non-perks, equivalent to being caught on a hot mic calling the Walt Disney World Parade the “corniest component” she'd ever done).
Kerrigan skated professionally and ranking turn out to be a fixture on the talking circuit, made an astonishing desire of TV appearances and authored the book Artistry on Ice. In the spring of 2017 she performed sixth on Dancing With the Stars.
At some level of her speed on the ballroom competition, Kerrigan opened up about suffering six miscarriages in eight years after she and husband Jerry Solomon welcomed their firstborn, Matthew, in 1996. They went on to welcome son Brian in 2005 and daughter Nicole became born in 2008.
Earlier than the 2022 Beijing Olympics, Kerrigan suggested NewsNation's Morning in The US that, with Brian competing in gymnastics and Nicole in ballet college, she's appreciating her possess oldsters' previous improve bigger than ever.
She soundless has her skates stop, having skated all the contrivance during the 2025 vacation season in Holiday Spectacular on Ice.
Tonya Harding
OK, possibly no longer precisely a favourite when she made her 2d Olympic team in 1994, nor is she precisely a hero at the unusual time, however attributable to hindsight and a conception-upsetting rob on her story within the 2017 biopic I, Tonya, Harding isn't a villain anymore either.
After a success the U.S. championship a month prior, she performed a disappointing eighth at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics, her long program dramatically interrupted by a broken skate lace. And then in June, her national title became vacated after an investigation into the attack on Nancy Kerrigan stumbled on that Harding's ex-husband and several friends ranking been at the again of the gap to incapacitate her rival adequate to retain her off the Olympic team. Harding insisted she knew nothing about it till after the attack had came about.
The takes ranking been unkind. For years Harding became relegated to punchline space and did punchline-y things, like function a sex tape, compete in massive name boxing fits and gain arrested for punching her boyfriend (she pleaded responsible and spent three days in detention center).
But after Margot Robbie's Oscar-nominated performance as the Portland, Ore.-bred skater, society gave the impression to unclench barely. In 2018, Harding performed third on an all-athlete season of Dancing With the Stars and in 2019 obtained the fifth massive name edition of Worst Cooks in The US, donating her $250,000 prize to St. Jude Teenagers's Compare Clinic.
She's been married to third husband Joseph Label since 2010 and is mom to son Gordon, born in 2011.
Michelle Kwan
The 9-time U.S. champion (tied for the all-time listing with the gradual Maribel Vinson, a Thirties-skills Olympian) got here up speedy in her bids for Olympic gold, earning silver in 1998 and bronze in 2002 and then pulling out of the 2006 Video games with an wound, however has remained one among essentially the most notorious-ever faces of U.S. pick skating.
At some level of the Champions on Ice Tour in 2002 months after the Salt Lake City Olympics, for which she became earning a tour-high $1 million and getting standing ovations, Kwan suggested the Los Angeles Events of the viewers's reception to her, “It's more a reassurance, no longer like a pity. Reassurance like, 'Good day, , it doesn't topic, life's no longer excellent,' roughly perspective….They sign the bother [of losing]. That's the substandard word. That that's the manner life goes every so continuously. Or no longer it is a ways obligatory to roughly shrug your shoulders and switch on.”
With almost about two decades of hindsight below her belt, she suggested Americans in 2021, “Getting the opportunity and having the honor to symbolize the nation became something else…There became nothing love it.”
Kwan became a campaign surrogate for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020, and he or she executive-produced the 2021 YouTube particular Recipe for Change.
In 2022, she printed she had welcomed her first child, a daughter named Kalista Belle Kwan. And in 2025, she launched that she had welcomed her 2d daughter, Della Rose Kwan.
Tara Lipinski
We know precisely where the 1998 Olympic gold medalist is—calling the full pick-skating rush alongside Johnny Weir after joining the NBC Sports actions family in 2013.
“It's like an extended-lost soul mate that I met gradual in life,” she suggested GQ of Weir in 2018. “I’m able to't accept as true with my life without him.”
Lipinski became the youngest-ever world champion at 14 in 1997 before beating all comers at the Nagano Olympics at 15, also the youngest-ever pick skater to gain Olympic gold. (She also bested her U.S. teammate and expected frontrunner Michelle Kwan, who performed 2d.)
“I bear in mind my legs shaking as they called my name and that had never took space before,” she recalled to E! Records before the Beijing Video games. “But to then be ready to skate the manner that I did, I'll always bear in mind no longer so noteworthy a success, however the moment the song ended and I became running all the contrivance during the ice, fair correct the rest that I felt, the enjoyment that I felt to skate effectively and ranking a correct exhibiting, however attain it in entrance of hundreds and hundreds of of us at an Olympic Video games.”
She met her future husband, producer Todd Kapostasy, when she presented an award to him at the Sports actions Emmys in 2015, and they tied the knot two years later. They teamed up to function the 2022 Peacock documentary Meddling, about the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics scoring scandal that resulted in two sets of gold medals being handed out in pairs skating.
Lipinski has since made her actuality TV debut with Uncommon as they compete on season four of Peacock's The Traitors.
Sarah Hughes
Even for the devoted pick skating followers whose viewing of the sport isn't relegated to the Cool climate Video games every four years, Hughes reputedly got here out of nowhere to dominate in Salt Lake City in 2002, a success gold in her Olympic debut with an infectiously relaxed long program.
You'd be forgiven for no longer before all the pieces making a bet on the 16-three hundred and sixty five days-dilapidated, although. She became the 1998 U.S. junior champion, however became splendid the reigning bronze medalist at the 2001 World Championships when she made her first U.S. Olympic team. And even once she got there, she became fourth within the speedy program. Michelle Kwan, who led heading into the long program, indirectly took bronze.
Truly, Hughes stays the becoming American girl to ranking obtained Olympic pick skating gold however no national or world titles.
She went on to attend Yale, then legislation college at College of Pennsylvania, and is a practising approved professional in New York. She served as a advertising and marketing and marketing consultant of worn first lady Michelle Obama's Let's Plod! Advertising campaign and became phase of the U.S. delegation to the Pyeongchang Cool climate Olympics in 2018. In 2021, she meticulously documented her experience freezing her eggs on her net space, noting that when the process became over, “In actuality wanting forward to getting again on the ice after I gain the all-particular.”
Sasha Cohen
The 2006 national champion earned silver at the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy, and then took three years off from competition—although no longer from skating, appearing on tour and at occasions equivalent to the Rockefeller Heart Christmas Tree lights.
She almost made it to Vancouver in 2010, ending up as a team alternate after coming in fourth at the U.S. Championships, however then indirectly retired later that three hundred and sixty five days.
Cohen made an astonishing desire of TV appearances and he or she graduated from Columbia College in 2016 with a level in political science. Having already printed a memoir, Fireplace on Ice, when she became 19, she's been rather originate concerning the intense tension she faced while competing.
“As a teenage athlete, you're hyper-allowing for making and a success the Olympics, then in total pressured to retire at an early age,” she suggested US Figure Skating Fan Zone in 2021. “You trek from being in reality correct at something within the highlight with a ton of improve, press and sponsorships, to being somebody of the day prior to this.”
Cohen married hedge fund manager Tom Would possibly possibly well fair in August 2016 however they divorced in 2018. Celebrating her birthday in October 2019, she wrote on Instagram, “I deem I'm barely wiser, more resilient, and closer to figuring out (and prioritizing) the things that if truth be told topic in life.” She welcomed son Dashiell with husband Geoffrey Lieberthal in 2020.
Evan Lysacek
Following Brian Boitano's triumph in 1988, U.S. men's pick skating skilled barely of an Olympics lull, with Paul Wylie's silver in 1992 and Timothy Goebel's bronze in 2002 the becoming evidence the American fellows ranking been soundless fielding (rinking?) a team.
After fair correct missing the podium in 2006, ending fourth, two-time national champion Lysacek ended that gold medal drought in Vancouver in 2010 (where he shared a few of the highlight with his impeccably tailored Vera Wang costumes).
He performed 2d on Dancing With the Stars that spring and became named the U.S. Olympic Committee's SportsMan of the three hundred and sixty five days.
After retiring from skating, Lysacek started a profession in commercial valid property (he also worked for Wang for a time in New York), and in 2019 married valid property developer Duangpatra Bodiratnangkura in a ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand.
“I’m able to no longer affirm adequate how lucky I feel to ranking stumbled on my excellent match in this unheard of lady,” he suggested Americans of his then-fiancée. “She's unheard of in every manner and he or she makes me a greater man.”
In 2026, Lysacek became named as phase of the U.S. delegation to attend the Opening Ceremony fo the Milan-Cortina Olympics.
Johnny Weir
The three-time national champion never medaled in his trips to the Olympics in 2006 and 2010, however his glam-rock model out on the ice always swept the honorary gold.
On account of this truth the mixed 17 suitcases Weir said he and longtime NBC broadcasting partner Tara Lipinski introduced to Beijing in 2022. “It's no longer as many as we've introduced within the previous, so I deem we're maturing,” he suggested E!'s On each day foundation Pop. “Or we use too noteworthy time collectively and I know precisely what's in her closet already.”
The duo's chemistry and skills ranking made their commentary must-inquire of ingredients of the Olympics.
“You give us a show cloak with pick skating on it, and we'll every be out of our seats,” Lipinski suggested E!. “I will seemingly be grabbing his hand.”
Off the ice, Weir and Victor Voronov married in 2012 however then messily prick up up barely two years later. Weir remembered Lipinski being there for him once they worked their first Olympics collectively in Sochi in 2014.
“I became going through a extraordinarily wicked divorce, and the becoming person I had to plow through it with me became Tara,” he suggested GQ in 2018. “And for a brand unusual friendship, that's loads to build a query to somebody to build on her shoulders. But Tara became up with me so long as I wished her to be up with me; she helped push me through work. Come what could possibly, at the same time my life became falling aside, we ranking been crushing it at work, and we ranking been a success hearts all the contrivance through The US. That bonded us so like a flash.”
Meryl Davis and Charlie White
After earning silver in Vancouver, the six-time national and two-time world champions obtained the US' first-ever gold medal in ice dancing in Sochi, where to boot they shared in team bronze. They would possibly be able to even ranking broken a few transport hearts once they insisted that they ranking been no longer a romantic couple, however the longtime companions ranking been over the moon about making history.
Davis obtained Dancing With the Stars months later and he or she and White hit the exhibition circuit before indirectly retiring in February 2017. She married retired Russian-Canadian pick skater Fedor Andreev in June 2019, taking their vows in a scenic ceremony in Provence, France.
“We fair correct saved taking deep breaths and attempting to rob it in because I deem that became one among essentially the most impactful moments,” the bride suggested City & Country. “We'd been courting for a extraordinarily long time and we've loved one one other for a extraordinarily long time, and but the experience of sharing that moment with every other became so honest. It's doubtlessly my favourite memory ever up to this level.”
A minute little bit of chilly, however marriage ceremony days will attain that to a person, even an Olympic gold medalist.
White married retired Canadian-American ice dancer Tanith Melvin in 2015 and they’ve a son collectively.
Adam Rippon
The 2016 national champion didn't function the podium skating individually at the 2018 Cool climate Olympics in Pyeongchang, however he did share in the U.S. team's bronze—and glided away with The US's coronary heart the full same with his passion, musicality, model, absorbing social media posts and same old joie de vivre.
He undoubtedly caught Sally Field's son's peek, Sam Greisman tweeting out a snippet of an change between he and his Oscar winner mom exact through which she impressed him, “Sam… he's insanely rather. Derive a manner.”
After Pyeongchang, Rippon skated on over to Dancing With the Stars and obtained your complete component, and ended up on TIME's checklist of the “100 Most Influential Americans of 2018.” Ever since he's been balancing his work in leisure (guest-cyber net hosting RuPaul's Race Flee, exhibiting in Taylor Swift's “You Must Aloof Down” video) and human rights activism.
He married husband Jussi-Pekka Kajaala on Dec. 31, 2021.
Speaking about what he desired to detect from the Beijing Olympics, Rippon suggested E! Records in January 2022, “What I am hoping that the viewers remembers is that every person these athletes are human and when we talk about them and we ranking an very fair correct time them, that they're going to detect the manner of us talk about them. Correct bear in mind that these are of us that worked their complete lives for these moments whether or no longer it goes the manner they need it to or no longer.”
Earlier than the 2026 Olympics, Rippon joined forces with Lunge Cain to host this season of the My New Popular Olympian podcast.
Gracie Gold
The 2-time national champion and CoverGirl spokeswoman shared the bronze with her fellow Americans within the inaugural team tournament at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. But while she became regarded as a fave to function the team again for Pyeongchang in 2018, as an alternative she pressed quit on her profession to rob time to heal.
She has since change into even more considerable for her contributions to the ongoing dialog concerning the toll this level of competition can rob on athletes' psychological health. Speaking frankly about her struggles with an drinking disorder, fright and despair, Gold recalled her lowest moments to the New York Events in 2019, explaining, “You desire of us to detect your effort in command that they peek you would favor relieve, however you don't desire to ask for relieve. So that you reside in this roughly unpleasant limbo.”
Alongside with Michael Phelps, Lolo Jones, Sasha Cohen and more, Gold participated within the 2020 documentary The Weight of Gold, concerning the tons of psychological health challenges Olympic athletes face. Her are trying to function the 2022 U.S. Olympic team fell speedy when she performed tenth at nationals, however Gold joined the relaxing on Kevin Hart's Cool climate Olympics Tailgate Occasion.
Ashley Wagner
The three-time national champion shared team bronze at the 2014 Sochi Olympics however she missed making the U.S. team in 2018—and Wagner didn't hesitate to share her frustration, telling reporters she became “completely excited” about her ratings at the U.S. Championships that January.
“What you peek is what you gain with me, and I pride myself on being factual and originate,” she said afterward on TODAY. “I deem at the tip of the day, in accordance with the more than a few criteria, they completely made the correct call with this team.” She soundless puzzled the consistency of the scoring, however indirectly approved the outcomes.
Recalling being requested how she felt fair correct after discovering out the outcomes, Wagner said, “I deem that I became fair correct heartbroken. I imply, devastated. I had worked 22 years for that moment, and I had set out something that I felt so proud of.”
She married Alex Clark, a center college science teacher, in 2023. The pair welcomed daughter Rosalie Starbird Clark that very same three hundred and sixty five days.
“I never loved skating,” Wagner suggested NBC Sports actions in 2021. “I saw it as a likelihood, a technique to an discontinue. After I became done, I became in reality done.”
Source credit : eonline.com
