the first U.S. skater to land a triple axel in competition; gold medalist at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games

Born October 22, 1963, in Mountain View, California. Graduated from Peterson High School, Sunnyvale, California.

Amateur Career

Landed his first triple jump -- a triple Salchow -- at the age of 11.

Became the first U.S. skater ever to land a triple Axel, at the 1982 U.S. Championships.

Four-time World medalist between 1985 and 1988.

World Champion in 1986 and 1988.

He earned eight 6.0's for his 1988 U.S. Nationals short program, a U.S. record he shares with Michelle Kwan.

Won one gold medal at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Professional Career

Won ten straight professional competitions after turning pro in 1988.

Won six World Professional Championship titles, five of which were consecutive (1988-1992, 1994).

Won four consecutive Challenge of Champions competitions.

Toured eleven seasons with John Hancock's Champions On Ice Tour.

Competed at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, but finished sixth overall.

Non-Skating Career

Won an Emmy for his portrayal of Don Jose in Carmen on Ice.

Owns his own skating production company, White Canvas Productions.

Continues to produce and participate in figure skating specials, including Brian Boitano's Skate Spectacular, 2005 Tribute to the Movies on Ice, and Broadway on Ice.

Currently lives in San Francisco, California.

Honors and Awards

He is the only male skater to be featured by himself on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Elected to the World and U.S. Figure Skating Halls of Fame in 1996.

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This page was last updated on February 15, 2017.