Landing a triple Axel at the 1991 U.S. Championships established Tonya Harding as a technical pioneer in American figure skating. She became the first woman from the United States to successfully execute the jump in international competition, securing a national title and a silver medal at the World Championships before her career became defined by high-profile legal controversies.
Early Development and Training
Born November 12, 1970, in Portland, Oregon, to LaVona Golden and Albert Harding, she began skating at age three. Under the guidance of coach Diane Rawlinson, she focused heavily on the sport, eventually leaving Milwaukie High School during her sophomore year to train full-time. She earned her GED in 1988 while gaining experience in regional and national skating ranks.
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Her performance at the 1991 U.S. Championships marked a high point, as she earned the event's first 6.0 technical merit score since 1973. Later that year, at the Skate America competition, she achieved further milestones, becoming the first woman to land a triple Axel in a short program, the first to execute two triple Axels in one competition, and the first to perform a triple Axel in combination with a double toe loop.
Professional Transition and Legal Turmoil
In January 1994, her career faced a permanent disruption following an attack on rival Nancy Kerrigan, which was orchestrated by Harding's then-husband, Jeff Gillooly. By March 1994, Harding pled guilty to conspiracy to hinder prosecution. Consequently, the United States Figure Skating Association issued a lifetime ban in June 1994, and she was stripped of her 1994 national title.
Post-Skating Career
Following her exclusion from competitive figure skating, she pivoted to other fields. She participated in professional boxing from 2003 to 2004. Her public profile continued through television appearances, including a third-place finish on Dancing with the Stars in 2018 and a victory on the 2019 season of Worst Cooks in America.
Fast facts
- Born: 12 November 1970, Portland, Oregon
- First triple Axel (US woman): 16 February 1991
- 1991 World Championships finish: Silver medal
- U.S. Ladies' Singles titles: 1991
- USFSA lifetime ban date: 30 June 1994
- Professional boxing tenure: 2003–2004
- Dancing with the Stars 2018 placement: Third place
- Worst Cooks in America 2019 status: Season 16 winner
Questions readers ask
Why was Tonya Harding banned from competitive skating?
She was banned for life by the United States Figure Skating Association on June 30, 1994, following her guilty plea for conspiracy to hinder prosecution regarding the assault on Nancy Kerrigan.
Was she the first woman to land a triple Axel?
No. While she was the first American woman to land the jump in international competition, Midori Ito was the first woman in history to do so.
