Competitive Highlights
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Awards
- 1990-1992 "Sullivan Award" finalist
- 1992 "Outstanding Citizen" Japanese American Citizens League Award
- 1991 "Athlete of the Week" from ABC Network
- 1990 "Outstanding Asian American" from the National Chinese Women's Business Organization and the Pan Asian Chamber of Commerce.
- 1989 "Athlete of the Year for Figure Skating" from the US Olympic Committee
- 1989 "Artistic Up and Coming Athlete of the Year" from the Women's Sports Foundation
- 1989 "Giving 100% Award" from NutraSweet
- 1989 "Athlete of the Week" award from ABC Network
Americans hoped Kristi Yamaguchi would come through for them at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville. After all, it had been sixteen years since an American woman had won a Gold Medal in figure skating. Sure enough, Kristi finessed her way to victory with elegant performances that showcased her poise and artistry on the ice. Not bad for a shy 20-year old from Fremont, California.
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Bowing for the crowd |
For more than a decade, Carole Yamaguchi served as Kristi's manager, driver, secretary and biggest fan. Six days a week, every week of the year, Carole roused her daughter at 4:00 a.m. for a five hour practice before school. After classes, she sped Kristi to her pairs practice for more training. "For a little kid, I worked incredibly hard" remembers Kristi.
By 1987, Kristi was good enough to capture two international junior titles and first place as a member of the United States Olympic Festival team. At the 1988 World Junior Championship, she gained gold medals in both the ladies singles division and the pairs division. America began to take notice of Kristi. In early 1988 she made Sports Illustrated's back-of-the-book "Faces in the Crowd" section with a postage-stamp portrait. (Almost exactly four years later, she smiled from the cover of Sports Illustrated flashing her gold souvenir of Albertville.) The Women's Sports Foundation named her "Up-and-Coming Artistic Athlete of the week." ABC Television twice selected her "Athlete of the Week."
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Creativity runs in her |
After turning professional in 1992, Kristi continued her dominance in skating by winning her first two professional competitions, the DuraSoft Colors World Professional Figure Skating Championship and the DuraSoft Colors World Challenge of Champions. Both competitions were televised on NBC and ABC, respectively. Kristi has proven her dominance in skating. In 1994-95 she won the Best of the Best competition and has earned accolades from major sportswriters as the "best skater in the world." In 1994, Kristi teamed with Paul Wylie, Brian Boitano and Nancy Kerrigan on CBS's live, highly rated prime-time coverage of Ice Wars. This combination helped the US Team defeat the World Team. In 1997-98 Kristi will continue to compete professionally in major televised competition.
In addition to her skating performances and competitions, Kristi is currently the corporate spokesperson for Celebrate! Acetate, Milk, HealthSouth and Ross-Simons. She appears in print ads in major fashion magazines for Celebrate! Acetate. Kristi also has her own line of in-line skates with Seneca. She helped Seneca design and promote the skates. Recently, Kristi was photographed by Annie Liebovitz for the "Milk Mustache" campaign, which is running in all major magazines. Kristi serves on the HealthSouth athlete advisory committee with Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson, and Emmitt Smith to promote physical and mental health.
Off the ice, she still makes time for tennis, in-line skating, reading, dancing, photography and reading. She also likes to watch hockey (San Jose Sharks) and the San Francisco 49ers.
"As a skater she has the whole package, from style to athleticism," says legendary Olympic skater Peggy Fleming. "She's what figure skating is all about." "Always dream," Kristi tells her friends and family back in California. "My experience at the 1992 Winter Olympics was my fulfillment of dreaming the Impossible Dream."
Kristi Yamaguchi Links
Kristi Yamaguchi Official Web Site
The Kristi Yamaguchi Home Page - by Shane Hewett
A Kristi Yamaguchi Fan Page - by Carol Wang
Timeless Figure Skating Gallery - Kristi Yamaguchi - by Michelle Lee
Kristi Yamaguchi Fan Page - by Brooke Shepherd
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