Tara Lipinski

Tara Kristen Lipinski (born June 10, 1982) is an American former figure skater, actress, and sports commentator. She won the ladies' singles Olympic gold medal in figure skating at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, on February 20, 1998 at the age of 15 years, 8 months, and 10 days, becoming the youngest Olympic gold medalist in ladies' figure skating in an individual event. When she won the 1997 World Champion at the age of 14 years, 9 months and 10 days, she became the youngest person – by 32 days – ever to win a World Figure Skating Championship, and she is two-time Champions Series Final Champion (1997–1998) and 1997 U.S. Champion.

Early life

Lipinski was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Patricia (née Brozyniak), a secretary, and Jack Lipinski, an oil executive and lawyer. She spent her earliest years in Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey. The family lived in the Sewell section of Mantua Township, New Jersey until 1991.

Tara learned ice figure skating technique from roller skating coaches in the Philadelphia area initially, but her first major competition was the 1990 Eastern Regional Championships for roller skating where she finished second. At the 1991 United States Roller Skating Championships, she won the primary girls freestyle as a nine-year-old.