Following her silver medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammerwon a mere seven weeks after the attack on her kneeKerrigan retired from competitive ice skating at the age of 25. Margot Robbie initially thought the script for I, Tonya was fiction. Figure Skating Associationin 1994 for her role in the attack on Kerrigan. Kerrigan suffered a knee injury in. pretty upset and angry that somebody would do this. On December 28, Stant went to Massachusetts, where Kerrigan was practicing. Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Whether youre shopping Way Day 2023 or Walmart, theres an al fresco set for you. In other words, Kerrigan went out on a high note. Otherwise, we're ET) on ABC. Ten years ago last Tuesday, a man took a whack at Nancy Kerrigan's knee as she walked off the practice ice in Detroit. the man get by with this. She went on to appear on 2018's The Bachelor Winter Games and produced the documentary Why Don't You Lose 5 Pounds, about the prevalence of eating disorders in athletes. But Gillooly got revenge on Tonya by sinking to new tabloid depths, selling graphic photos of the couple having sex on their honeymoon. That same year NBC offered its own retelling with the documentary Nancy & Tonya, which aired during the 2014 Winter Olympics. The two men go over the attack and how theyll get away.. My dad had a heart attack, and that's that." Best Known For: Figure skater Nancy Kerrigan won a silver medal at the 1994 Olympics, despite being physically attacked by a hitman hired by the ex-husband of skating rival Tonya Harding. hoping she could compete this afternoon in the technical program of the "I'm just busy living my life.". January 25, 2010 / 3:07 PM Fans of U.S. figure skater Tonya Harding put up a sign in support while she skates at the Clackamas Town Center mall rink, January 24, 1994, as a grand jury continues its meetings on whether to indict her in the attack on fellow skater Nancy Kerrigan. Though she hasn't skated competitively in a long time, Kerrigan hasn't hung up the skates. asked him who the skater was with him, and he said it was Kwan. one in the world if there was such a ranking. The crack on the knee with a police baton forced her to drop out of the U.S. Championships on the way to the Olympics, but Kerrigan would recover in time for the games in late February. READ MORE: Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan: A Complete Timeline of Kerrigan's Attack and Aftermath. Her desire to have more children became an arduous journey, as she would end up having six miscarriages during the next eight years. Everything hurts. "He was someone who took an interest in everyone that he came in contact with and, if he knew you much at all, had an endearing wisecrack that would be sure to make you laugh," Kerrigan wrote in a letter obtained by Entertainment Tonight. While the rest of the world resurrects this scandal,Kerrigan has skirted the spotlight and remainednotoriously silent. ", But various people came to her defense. " When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Formerly at People magazine and The A.V. Shane Stant, the hit man, and Derrick Smith, his driver . unable to bend it. Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, who did not compete because she was wounded in an attack on January 6, will represent the U.S. at the 1994 Winter Olympics. United States can send two women's skaters to the Olympics; it's now ", "I tried to convince them," said Kerrigan, her voice cracking "The next thing I heard was screaming," Carroll said, adding he did Shawn Eric Eckardt (L), bodyguard of figure skater Tonya Harding, and fellow defendent Derrick Smith (R) are joined by Smith's attorney Robert Goffredi January 14, 1994 as they face Judge Donald Londer during their arraignment on charges of conspiracy to commit assault in the attack on skater Nancy Kerrigan. "This is so dumb. Nancy Kerrigan, the United States' best female figure skater and one of the gold-medal favorites for the 1994 Olympics, was attacked after practice today by an unidentified man who struck her. Not long after, some of her endorsements and television deals were dropped, though it was unclear if the events were related. But through it all, she's persevered. Kerrigan was hit on the knee in January 1994 during the US Olympic Trials and it was later learned that Harding's ex-husband and bodyguard masterminded the attack in hopes of improving Harding's chances at the US Trials and the Olympics. Songs were written about it, comedians lampooned it, and it was the subject of numerous headlines across the world. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. So much for friendly competition. In 1995, just one year after the Lillehammer Olympics, Nancy Kerrigan married her agent Jerry Solomon, and they have remained married since then. I just wanted to be here and do this and be a part of this.. With Kerrigan unable to skate, Harding won the championship and a place at the 1994 Olympics. Kerrigan will undergo a magnetic resonance imaging test Monday in The movie stars Caitlin Carver as Kerrigan andMargot Robbie as rival skater Tonya Hardingwho wasbanned for life from theU.S. Bradley, a USFSA orthopedic surgeon. It's just part of the game, I guess.". enough to skate at the Olympics. On the afternoon of Jan. 6, 1994, figure skater Nancy Kerrigan had just finished a practice session . Some attributed Kerrigan's early exit to "multi-million dollar media contract with Disney," noting that she showed up to a parade at Disney World "while her teammates attended closing ceremonies. The man who whacked figure skater Nancy Kerrigan on the knee and his getaway car driver were sent to prison today to serve 18-month terms. "Ididn't think it was necessary. "This circumstance is so unusual," Jenkins said. Kerrigan has been open about suffering multiple miscarriages in the time between having Matthew and Brian, which she revealed while appearing on Dancing With The Stars. Kerrigan suffered a huge personal setback in 2010 when her brother, Mark Kerrigan, was incarcerated in connection to the death of her father, Daniel Kerrigan. Museum Is Challenging What You Think You Know About the Figure Skater, See the Moment Nancy Kerrigan Came Face to Face With Tonya Harding After Clubbing Attack, Never-Before-Seen Footage of Tonya Harding From the Day Nancy Kerrigan Got Hurt. Boston once the swelling in her knee goes down. I was like, Oh, this is interesting. Kerrigan deserved to go to the Olympics. Figure Follow the Texas Native at @PatrickGomezLA wherever your media is social for all things 'For All Mankind' 'Top Chef,' and puppy related. Kwiatkowski, is knocked off the team because of it. I'm okay, but I'm Changing the day will navigate the page to that given day in history. Mark reportedly avoided a conviction on the much more serious charge of involuntary manslaughter. After her Olympic win, Kerrigan received several lucrative endorsements, including one from Walt Disney World, and retired from active competition. Tonya Harding, Kristi Yamaguchi and Nancy Kerrigan (from left) during the awards ceremony following their performances in the ladies skating event at the World Figure Skating Championships in Munich, circa March 1991. US figure skaters Tonya Harding (L) and Nancy Kerrigan avoid each other during a training session February 17, 1994 in Hamar, Norway, during the Winter Olympics. percent of the final score). ", The comments tarnished her reputation, though she did later clarify, saying it wasn't the parade that was cheesy, but flaunting her medal and her fame. "But I knew if I didn't go for it, I'd regret it.". The United States must commit to the two women skaters by Speaking with NBC Sports in December 2015, after an unusually hectic slate of shows, Kerrigan said, "I've done shows for the last bunch of years, different shows here or there, maybe one or two or five, depends, but I haven't done a tour. By. Why now?" several times during an afternoon news conference. You can navigate days by using left and right arrows. "I think she's overwhelmed," producer Steve Tisch said, who was working on her television biopic at the time. Nancy Kerrigan at her wedding, with her father. question is: Can she start skating in the next week or two? Kerrigan recovered from her injury and won a spot on the Olympic team just weeks later. not see the man follow Kerrigan, nor did he see the attack. "She's going to be a very frightened woman for some time," Scotvold Nancy Ann Kerrigan was born on October 13, 1969, in Stoneham, Massachusetts, to homemaker Brenda and welder Dan Kerrigan. Follow the Texas Native at @PatrickGomezLA wherever your media is social for all things 'For All Mankind' 'Top Chef,' and puppy related. I don't know. Carroll said he had not been questioned by Detroit police. Other than Gilloolys testimony, there was never any further evidence of Hardings knowledge of the plans before the attack. member of the international committee, said she will vote to give a spot Kerrigan has not commented on I, Tonya, but has maintained that she believes Harding had a role in the attack. It's hard to say how long I'll be looking over my Kerrigan said she awoke this morning in her downtown hotel room The Olympian washeavily scrutinized for relatively benign comments made in the presence of hot mics. But doctors checked her knee and found she was Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. "Oh, come on. Fish contaminated with "forever chemicals" found in nearly every state, CBS News Poll: How GOP primary race could be Trump v. Trump fatigue, Missing teens may be among 7 found dead in Oklahoma, authorities say, Gordon Lightfoot, "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" singer, dies at age 84, Bob Lee died from three stab wounds, medical examiner says, At least 6 dead after dust storm causes massive pile-up on Illinois highway, Oklahoma governor signs gender-affirming care ban for kids, U.S. tracking high-altitude balloon first spotted off Hawaii. "Nancy's She was fined $100,000 and sentenced to probation and 500 hours of community service. Just sort of one-off things. Arena. Nancy Kerrigan has been battling an old injury while on Dancing with the Stars and its not the one youre probably thinking about. But her plans were almost derailed in January of 1994, when a man hired by the ex-husband of her competitor, Tonya Harding, whacked her in the knee with a baton as she was leaving Detroit's Cobo Arena at the U.S. The incident received wall-to-wall media coverage in a day and age when CNN and tabloid news shows ruled the airwaves. On January 11, Derrick Smith confessed to FBI agents. Really, Im loving this whole experience.. Patrick Gomez is the Editor in Chief/General Manager of Entertainment Weekly. It was 23 years ago today that Nancy Kerrigan was whacked in the knee by an associate of rival skater Tonya Harding just weeks before the start of the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer,. "This was a criminal But the Olympian admits the show has been a physical challenge. In 1994, the figure skater found herself at. Figure skater Nancy Kerrigan won a silver medal at the 1994 Olympics, despite being physically attacked by a hitman hired by the ex-husband of skating rival Tonya Harding. / CBS NEWS, First published on January 25, 2010 / 3:07 PM. be the one bumped off the team if the positions stay the same, also said "I really have nothing to say about it," Kerrigan told the Boston Globe in 2018. 23 and 25. "I don't think Nancy, under the circumstances, had the time or ability to be schooled in dealing with celebrity because it came on so fast. This portable Cubii under-desk elliptical is $129 off today. "The hop one more time to show them I could do it. Tonya Harding has her lace inspected during her Olympic competition in Lillehammer during the 1994 Winter Olympics. I forgot they even were there. The two men were charged for the January 1994 attack on Kerrigan. Eckardt set up a meeting with Derrick Smith and Shane Stant, who agreed to injure Kerrigan for a fee. In a similar vein but with a more creative interpretation and different perspective, the 2017 movie I, Tonya, starring Margot Robbie as Harding, focused on the troubled skater's rough life and the fallout that ensued from the attack coordinated by her ex-husband and the hitman he hired. Nancy Kerrigan showed figure skating talent at an early age. "I just want to die," Kerrigan told reporters in a storm of tears after the competition. Regardless, the emotional whiplash of being a media darling recast as a graceless diva seemed to drive Kerrigan away from the spotlight. News,' 'CNN,' and 'Nightline,' and can be seen frequently on 'Good Morning America.' Kathy Casey, coach of Nicole Bobek, who is in second place and would Later in 2014 she was interviewed for NBCs Nancy & Tonya, an hourlong documentary in which she described the entire situation as sad and said I dont dwell on it. The two were not put face-to-face for the NBC documentary. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Ukrainian Oksana Baiul performs her free program during the women's figure skating competition at the Winter Olympic Games February 25, 1994 in Hamar, near Lillehammer. That's bragging," she told NBC in 2014. But "it's been totally worth it." But her trials didn't end there. Harding took a plea deal and did not serve jail time but was banned for life from the U.S. attack.". Two gushing fan letters However, an attempted movie career was dead in the water from the beginning. "We hope she could be ready by the Olympics," Scotvold said. In 2014, ESPN aired "The Price of Gold," a "30 for 30" documentary about the attack and the fallout. She won the Boston Open, her first competition, at age 9. Kerrigan's ice hockey background made it easy to transition into figure skating at the age of 6. Adding to that, soon after Kerrigan was also caught decrying her participation in a Disney Parade. In 2017 she danced on the 24th season of Dancing With The Stars and came in seventh place. "I asked if I could CREATURES OF HABIT:Ten things we will still do in 2017. News,' 'CNN,' and 'Nightline,' and can be seen frequently on 'Good Morning America.' Three days later, Stant surrendered and also confessed. Nancy Kerrigan should have been famous for her talent on the ice alone, but as we all know, her story doesn't end with a simple Olympic win or loss. Updated On April 16, 2023 | Published By: Daniel Miranda Married Quick Facts of Nancy Kerrigan Quotes I do not have any pets. Young Ukrainian skater Oksana Baiul would take the gold. In one instance, during a Disney World parade, she was overheard saying, "This is so corny. "It has to be a Her poor performance at the 1993 World Games in Prague, however, sent her down to tenth place. Kerrigan recovered from her injury and won a spot on the Olympic team just weeks later. After that, no alternate may substitute for an injured skater. She did not participate in the 2014 ESPN 30 for 30: The Price of Gold special about the attack. After giving birth to her first child in 1996, the continued pressures of being in the limelight caused Kerrigan to withdraw and she began dramatically losing weight. Kerrigan and partner Dave Coulier, of Full House fame, made it to fourth place. Formerly at People magazine and The A.V. Kristi Yamaguchi Tells Nancy Kerrigan, Once Attacked by Club-Wielding Man, to 'Break a Leg', Who is Tonya Harding? The Olympian appeared to be entering the top of her game in 1993. Figure Skating Association. Nancy Kerrigan delayed a spine surgery to compete on Dancing with the Stars. The attack bruised but didnt break Kerrigans leg, and she went on to win the silver medal at the Olympics in February of that year. Name: Nancy Kerrigan Birth Year: 1969 Birth date: October 13, 1969 Birth State: Massachusetts Birth City: Stoneham Birth Country: United States Gender: Female Best Known For: Figure skater Nancy. A news report in the Portland Oregonian newspaper said prosecutors have enough evidence to charge Harding. at Joe Louis Arena on whether to place Kerrigan on the Olympic team in agony, went as viral as things could go in 1994. As of this writing, Kerrigan's kids are 19, 12, and 9 years old, and outside of her very selective figure skating performances, they are her world. to Kerrigan, even if one of her two skaters, Lisa Ervin or Tonia Texas House passes bill to decriminalize marijuana, Family gets largest known jail-death settlement in Texas, Massive ranch up for sale near Texas next big state park, Texas man catches giant alligator snapping turtle, releases it, 3,800-acre San Antonio-area property to become Texas state park, KPRC 2 Houston names new 4 p.m. anchor, adds traffic lead, Conroe ISD schools secured as manhunt for gunman continues, Ime Udoka, Rockets dropping hints on teams free agency plans, Greg Abbott 'regrets' calling massacre victim 'illegal', FBI to direct 'large scale' nuclear training in Houston this week, Astros headed to Mexico City in 2024 for historic matchup, You can own your own cave system for a cool $875k, home included, Pop-culture milestones we'll be celebrating in 2017, Family gets largest known jail-death settlement in Texas: 'We wanted justice', Massive Coastal Bend ranch up for sale near Texas next big state park, Texas man catches massive alligator snapping turtle, then releases it back into the wild, Property north of San Antonio set to become a new Texas state park, KPRC 2 promotes Candace Burns to anchor, hires new traffic lead, Conroe ISD schools secured as manhunt for Cleveland, Texas shooter continues. This was to be expected. Kerrigan's passion for skating which she "took to pretty easily" when her parents enrolled her in group figure-skating classes at age 6 quickly became her top priority. In 1995, Kerrigan tied the knot with manager Solomon, 16 years her senior. By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and that you have read our Privacy Policy. So I want to become more confident. We strive for accuracy and fairness. I'm having the time of my life." Part of the a360media Entertainment Group. All Rights Reserved. In addition, Kerrigan helped produce a documentary about eating disorders in sports titledWhy Don't You Lose 5 Pounds? The Olympic figure skater's knee was infamously injured when she was attacked in 1994, but Kerrigan was actually in the doctor's office for a spinal injury when she got the call offering her. "This is not an athletic injury," he said. I'm a competitor, I love the challenge, and it makes me feel young again. I, Tonyaisn't the first time the story of Harding's ex-husband reportedly hiring a man to club Kerrigan in the knee after a practice session has been recreated for the screen. Carroll said. Behind the scenes, however, there was still a struggle for Kerrigan, who suffered "at least" six miscarriages after son Matthew's 1996 arrival. At the Olympics, the competition between Harding and Kerrigan set ratings records. to do to compete. The charges of manslaughter were dropped, but Mark Kerrigan was found guilty of assault and battery, and was set to serve two-and-a-half years before being released early in 2012. After retiring from competitive skating after the Lillehammer Olympics, Kerrigan continued to skate professionally, performing in the televised, non-Union competition Ice Wars in 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, and again in 2005. Will Kerrigan be on that team? As she began competing on a national level in high school, "I missed out on a lot," said Kerrigan. Evy Scotvold, Kerrigan's longtime coach. Scandal Made Me Famous: Tonya Harding airs on Reelz at 9 p.m. One year after their marriage they had one child, Matthew Solomon, and they later had two more children: Brian Solomon in 2005 and Nicole Solomon in 2008. Kerrigan, who was walking unassisted with just the slightest hint of Kerrigan revealed that she suffered six miscarriages in the eight years following the birth of her firstborn son, Matthew. All Rights Reserved. She also hosted Saturday Night Live in 1994. was struck. possible. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2004, and created the Nancy Kerrigan Foundation in honor of her mother, Brenda, who's legally blind; to organization raises awareness and funds for the visually impaired. Figure Skating Championships.. Nancy remained tight-lipped about her injury and scandal in the year after the incident. She broke down crying after a lace on her skates broke. "My world was completely out of controlit was crazy," she said, noting that she wasn't even aware that she dropped 15 pounds ahead of the Games. Shortly after, he agreed to a deal in which he implicated Harding. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}10 Things You Might Not Know About Jimmy Butler, Celebrities & Notables Running the Boston Marathon, 7 Facts About Gymnast and TikTok Star Olivia Dunne, Nat Sweetwater Cliftons First NBA Season, 8 Negro League Legends Featured in a New MLB Game, Get to Know NCAA Tournament Star Caitlin Clark. Nancy Kerrigan's Vera Wang skating dress in Lillehammer's 1994 Olympics set a new standard for elegance. While there was some speculation that their relationship began with an affair (the marriage was Jerrys third), both Kerrigan and Solomon have denied that they had an inappropriate relationship while Solomon was still married to his second wife. he did it to help Steffi Graf regain the No. (Clive Brunskill/ALLSPORT). Harding then came forward, changing her story and admitting that she had learned of Gilloolys role in the attack after the championships but did not inform authorities. In 2001, she appeared in an all-skating production of Footloose and skated for two years on the Champions on Ice tour. Though she'd done some television commentary on various ice skating competitions, Kerrigan wasn't known for skating anymore until she joined the one-season Fox reality show Skating with Celebrities in 2006. It ended with four men in jail, a broken shoelace and a highly publicized mouthing . of her top five international competitors the last few months," said However, not all was well with the decorated and beloved skater. READ MORE: Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan: A Timeline of Kerrigan's Attack and the Aftermath. "Nancy is the top-ranked skater in the country and she's beaten four You should, because Kerrigan's focus for the past two decades has been squarely on her family. Though she's remained out of the spotlight lately, her name will never not be in the news. Figure Skating Championships. because of the rule brought to attention late Thursday night by USFSA Stant, then 22, was hired by a close friend of Tonya Harding's ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, to carry out. The whole strange story line -- the rivalry and subsequent media firestorm -- is set to be made into a movie starring Margot Robbie as Harding. But I feel if my leg is strong enough, Margot Robbie as rival skater Tonya Harding. Figure Skating Championships in Detroit, Michigan. U.S. figure skater Tonya Harding reads from a prepared text January 27, 1994 during a press conference at the Multnomah County Athletic Club, Oregon. of the favorites to win the gold medal at the 1994 Winter Games next "I was being followed around by the media and everything. Her brother Mark Kerrigan was arrested and tried for manslaughter, as a physical altercation between father and son occurred directly before the death. ", "My brain hasn't worked this hard in many years," Kerrigan joked in 2017 of joining Dancing with the Stars season 24. Celeb Exes Who May Run Into Each Other at the Met Gala, Serena Announces Pregnancy at the Met Gala, Blake Lively Pumps Breast Milk Instead of Attending Met Gala, PHOTOS: Biggest Celebrity Scandals of 2015. She also founded the Nancy Kerrigan Foundation in 1999, which serves those with impaired eyesight. To be fair, Margot Robbie was 4 years old and living in Australia when it happened.. You can't really fault her for not knowing about it. Hardings performance was a drama in itself. "acting weird" and carrying a small still camera moments before Kerrigan Months later, she took home a bronze medal at the U.S. Olympic Festival. have our strongest team.". The rehabilitation of such serious injuries used to take several months at the least. In the end, Kerrigan was able to skate well enough at the Olympic Games to score a silver medal while Harding finished eighth. Ashley Woods. "He didn't look at me like I was crazy like everyone else did," she said. Talk about an understatement: the figure skating darling who grew up playing street hockey with her brothers in Stoneham, Massachusetts, saw her career wise, suffered an attack at the hands of her rival's friends, endured an eating disorder and later in life, six miscarriages, and the tragic loss of her father in 2010. 1992 Olympian, was in first place after the technical program (worth 33 Nancy is a spokesperson for the Foundation Fighting Blindnessand raises money for the vision-impaired through theNancy Kerrigan Foundation. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. In mid-December 1993, Hardings ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, approached Shawn Eckardt about somehow eliminating Kerrigan from the competition. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. The man who delivered a blow to Nancy Kerrigan's leg before the 1994 Winter Olympics in an attack that shook the sports world has revealed the initial plan was to leave her crippled. Add to those the factors of stress and exhaustion and jet lag and cameras and microphones being thrust into her face. Tonya Hardings bodyguard Shawn Eckardt (left) and fellow defendant Derrick Smith (right) are joined by Smiths attorney Robert Goffredi Jan. 14, 1994, as Eckardt and Smith are arraigned on charges of conspiracy to commit assault in the attack on skater Nancy Kerrigan. Tonya Harding has passed the years in her own way and most recently turned up at the 2018 Golden Globes alongside the cast of I, Tonya, but Nancy Kerrigan, the victim-turned-Olympics-hero, had a much different path in the years since the infamous attack. Shane Stant, 46, has spokento Inside Edition, 24 years after he followedthe beloved figure skater as she left the ice and struck her with a collapsible baton. on the team if she were left off it. In 2003, about a year after fighting in a celebrity boxing event, Harding made her professional boxing debut. or another skater might have attacked Kerrigan for a similar Detroit police are reviewing network videotape of the practice Kerrigan reportedly received death threats during the '94 Olympic Games, prompting her to get out of won before the closing ceremony, but according to UPI, some fans didn't believe the threats were real. Carol Heiss Jenkins, who coaches two women's skaters and also is a The couple has three children. "Right now, I'm a little paranoid," Kerrigan said. Thanks to the success of I, Tonya, the twenty fouryear old story of Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan is back in the news, with a renewed focus on what its star players, Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan are doing so long after the incident that left Kerrigan with an injured leg and Harding with a tarnished name. Craig Hlavaty is a freelance writer for chron.com and the Houston Chronicle. Part of the a360media Entertainment Group.Powered by WordPress VIP, Please note that this form cannot be used to reset your Google, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window).