Tonya Harding
Tonya first made a name for herself the same year as her main rival, Nancy Kerrigan in 1989. As we all know Harding was famously banned from competing after someone her husband hired attacked Nancy Kerrigan. This event often overshadows her skating achievements which are plentiful. She made history becoming the first female skater from the U.S. to complete the very difficult triple axle. Additionally, she won the 1989 Skate America Competition, and placed twice at the U.S. Championship (1991 and 1994). The attack on Nancy Kerrigan essentially ended her skating career as she was banned from competing by the U.S. Figure Skating Association. She was also stripped of her 1991 and 1994 titles. After this, Tonya decided to take her talents to the professional boxing ring, but this was short lived. Harding ended her boxing career by winning 3 matches, and loosing 3. Currently, she is married to Joseph Price and the couple had a son in 2011. America is currently revisiting her career and engaging in a debate about her role in the attack on Nancy Kerrigan due to the debut of the critically acclaimed biopic I, Tonya. In addition to the film questioning her role in the attack, it also shows a darker side of the skating world as many judges and people with power in the industry discriminated against Harding due to her low socio-economic status.
Michelle Kwan
Michelle Kwan rose to fame came just at the turn of the millenium when she made her Olympic debut at just 18 years if age in 1998. She took the silver medal and also won the bronze medal in 2002. Moreover, she is a five time World Champion. Unfortunately, her skating career took a hit in 2006 due to Kwan suffering from a severe injury. Kwan decided to then focus on education and she studied at both the University of Denver and Tufts University. Kwan has always maintained a vast interest in politics and after studying she worked as a coordinator for the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton. Her personal life gained attention when she married White House National Security Staff member Clay Pell but they divorced in 2017.
