Tonya Harding Biography
Early Life and also Childhood
Tonya Harding was born on November 12, 1970, in Portland, Oregon, USA. She was raised by her mother, LaVona Golden, and her dad, Al Harding. Tonya's childhood was a troubled one, marked by poverty and a tumultuous home setting. Her moms and dads divorced when she was young, and also her mom remarried a number of times, which further affected her upbringing. In spite of these difficulties, Tonya showed a talent for the ice rink at an early age.
Harding started skating at the age of three and also soon found that she had an all-natural talent for the sport. She was trained by Diane Rawlinson, that identified her capacity and aided her develop her skills. In 1986, at the age of 15, Tonya completed in her very first high-profile number skating occasion, the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
Surge to Fame
Tonya Harding's occupation started to flourish, as she came to be known for her unbelievable sports capacity on the ice. In 1991, she attained a substantial milestone when she came to be the first American woman to land a triple axel in competition, doing so at the U.S. Championships. This success raised her standing in the number skating globe, as well as she was taken into consideration a solid competitor for the 1992 Winter Olympics.
At the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, Tonya finished in 4th place, losing out on a medal. Nevertheless, her career remained to proceed, and also she earned a silver medal at the 1991 World Championships. Harding was one of the globe's leading lady number skaters throughout the early 1990s, as well as numerous really hoped that she would certainly have a successful go for the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway.
The Nancy Kerrigan Incident
In January 1994, Tonya's life and job took a significant turn. Her major opponent, fellow American figure skater
Nancy Kerrigan, was assaulted and wounded by an unknown opponent. This stunning event occurred throughout the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, just weeks prior to the Lillehammer Olympics. The attack resulted in Kerrigan having to take out from the competitors, leaving Tonya to win the gold medal.
As investigations unfolded, it was found that Tonya's ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, and also her bodyguard, Shawn Eckhardt, had actually employed the assailant to hurt Kerrigan in an attempt to boost Tonya's opportunities at the upcoming Winter Olympics. Gillooly and also Eckhardt at some point begged guilty to costs connected to their involvement in the attack.
While Tonya had actually originally rejected any understanding of the attack, she later on confessed to being aware of the plan after the truth. Due to her involvement, the U.S. Figure Skating Association (USFSA) banned Tonya for life from taking part in any capacity within the sport, effectively finishing her profession in figure skating.
Life After Skating
In the years following the occurrence, Tonya battled to discover her footing as well as establish a brand-new profession. She quickly pursued boxing but was not particularly effective. The public's attraction with her story led to several media looks, including a tv meeting with
Oprah Winfrey in 2009.
In later years, Tonya attempted to restore her picture and seek redemption. The 2018 biographical movie, "I, Tonya", starring Margot Robbie as Harding, depicted her life as well as the events surrounding the
Nancy Kerrigan case. The film helped produce a restored rate of interest in Tonya's tale, and to some extent, it promoted a level of sympathy for her.
Today, Tonya Harding lives a reasonably personal life, having actually remarried and also come to be a mommy. While her credibility within the globe of number skating stays damaged, she stays a remarkable number whose tale continues to mesmerize the general public imagination.
Our collection contains 2 quotes who is written / told by Tonya.
Related authors: Tina Yothers (Actress), Nancy Kerrigan (Athlete), Oprah Winfrey (Entertainer), Lawrence Taylor (Athlete)
