Benjamin Agosto American figure skater performing in ice dancing Date of Birth: 15.01.1982 Country: USA

Biography of Benjamin Agosto

Benjamin Alejandro Agosto was born on January 15, 1982, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He grew up in Northbrook and later moved to Detroit, Michigan, in June 1998 to train under the guidance of Igor Shpilband. It was with Shpilband that Agosto found his new partner, Canadian ice dancer Tanith Belbin.

Agosto began his skating career at the age of six when he received a pair of skates as a birthday gift. He initially trained with coach Susie Wynne and later partnered with Katie Hill in the novice and junior levels. However, it was in 1998 when Agosto teamed up with Belbin that they immediately saw impressive results in the 1999-2000 season.

The pair won the title of junior national champions and also earned a bronze medal at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Agosto and Belbin went on to achieve great success together. They became two-time bronze medalists at the World Championships in 2006 and 2007, won a silver medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, and claimed three consecutive victories at the Four Continents Championships in 2004, 2005, and 2006. Agosto also won the World Junior Figure Skating Championships in 2002.

As of January 2010, Agosto and Belbin were ranked fourth in the world. Aside from their competitive career, Agosto is also involved in other endeavors. He works as a voice actor, providing voices for video game characters, and he also coaches other figure skaters. In the summer of 2008, he trained in Canton, Michigan, before moving to Aston, Pennsylvania, to continue his training at a skating complex.

Agosto and Belbin faced challenges throughout their career, including issues with Belbin's citizenship, but they overcame them with determination. They won the U.S. Championships in 2004 and repeated this achievement four more times. In February 2005, they organized and performed in their own charity figure skating show, raising over $37,000 for the Red Cross.

Their hard work paid off when they won a silver medal at the World Figure Skating Championships in 2005. However, due to Belbin's citizenship status, she was unable to compete at the 2006 Olympics until a special congressional resolution was passed, granting her U.S. citizenship. Finally, on February 20, 2006, Agosto and Belbin brought home an Olympic silver medal, becoming the first American team since 1976 to achieve this feat.

After a disappointing performance at the 2008 World Championships, Agosto and Belbin decided to part ways with their previous coaches and began training under Natalia Linichuk and Gennadi Karponosov. They continued to achieve success, winning two silver medals at Grand Prix events in the 2008-2009 season and earning a silver medal at the World Championships.

In the 2009-2010 season, Agosto and Belbin started strong by winning Grand Prix events but had to withdraw from the final and the U.S. Championships due to Agosto's back injury. They managed to compete at the World Championships and won a silver medal. They were also selected to represent the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Despite facing challenges and setbacks, Benjamin Agosto and Tanith Belbin's partnership has been marked by their resilience and determination to succeed in the world of ice dancing.