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Tonya HardingAmerican figure skater and boxer
Country:
 USA |
Content:
- Biography of Tonya Harding
- Breakthrough and Marriage
- The Attack on Nancy Kerrigan
- Legal Troubles and Boxing Career
- Later Life
Biography of Tonya Harding
Early Life and Skating CareerTonya Maxine Harding was born on November 12, 1970, in Portland, Oregon. At the age of three, she started figure skating under the guidance of Diane Rawlinson. Tonya's father, El, taught her hunting, auto mechanics, and reckless driving. Her mother, LaVona, worked hard to support the family and sewed costumes for Tonya's ice performances. Tonya claimed that her mother physically and emotionally abused her since she was seven years old. LaVona denied the accusations but admitted to hitting Tonya once on the ice. Despite dropping out of school, Tonya received an equivalent diploma.
Breakthrough and Marriage
In 1991, Tonya successfully landed her first triple axel at the U.S. Championships, receiving a perfect score of 6.0 for technique. She became the first woman to perform a triple axel in both the short program and the free skate at Skate America in 1991. However, Tonya struggled to replicate her success with the triple axel in the following years. In 1992, she married Jeff Gillooly, but they divorced in 1993. Tonya's skating career was marred by injuries, including a sprained ankle during the 1992 U.S. Championships. She finished fourth at the 1992 Winter Olympics and sixth at the 1992 World Championships. Tonya failed to qualify for the 1993 World Championships.
The Attack on Nancy Kerrigan
On January 6, 1994, Tonya's main rival, Nancy Kerrigan, was attacked during a practice session before the U.S. Championships in Detroit. The attacker, Shane Stant, was hired by Tonya's ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, and her bodyguard, Shawn Eckardt. Stant was instructed to break Nancy's right leg to prevent her from competing in the Olympics. Nancy sustained a knee injury but managed to recover in time to compete at the Olympics. Tonya won the U.S. Championships and qualified for the Olympic team. She finished eighth at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, while Nancy won the silver medal. The attack and Tonya's alleged involvement created a media frenzy and were dubbed one of the biggest scandals in American sports history.
Legal Troubles and Boxing Career
In February 1994, Jeff Gillooly pleaded guilty to his involvement in the attack. Tonya received three years of probation, 500 hours of community service, and a $100,000 fine. She was also banned from participating in any events organized by the U.S. Figure Skating Association. Tonya married Michael Smith in 1995, but they divorced a year later. She transitioned to professional boxing, winning a match in 2002 on the TV show "Celebrity Boxing." Tonya made her professional boxing debut in 2003 but faced financial difficulties and health issues, including asthma. She retired from boxing in 2004.
Later Life
In 2010, Tonya married Joseph Price, and they had a son named Gordon in 2011. She set a new land speed record for vintage cars in 2010, reaching 156.391 km/h on a 1931 Ford Model A on the Bonneville Salt Flats. Tonya's life was portrayed in the biographical drama "I, Tonya" in 2017, with Margot Robbie playing adult Tonya Harding and McKenna Grace depicting her in childhood.
