TonyaHarding.com

The Tonya Harding Web Site

Tonya Harding Today

Tonya Harding's Family Today

Today Tonya leads a quiet life devoted primarily to her family. But stay tuned! More public appearances will be coming... Read More

Tonya’s Bio

Tonya's life has had a lot of ups and downs, to say the least! Here's her story from childhood to today... Read More

I, Tonya – The Movie

I, Tonya Movie

All about the movie sensation that helped Tonya make a comeback to public life... Read More

 

Tonya Harding

became the first U.S. woman to land the triple Axel in competition when she completed it 45 seconds into her free skate at the 1991 U.S. championships. The second was 15 year old Kimmie Meissner in 2005. She finished in third place during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Portland, Oregon.

The triple Axel is the Everest of women's figure skating, both terrifying and compelling. The only jump that starts on the forward foot, it explodes in 31/2 revolutions -- yet demands a delicate touch on takeoff and iron strength on landing.

From The Oregonian:

"I really do believe," says Christine Brennan, best known skating author, "that the boom that figure skating has experienced for a decade really started with what we know as 'the whack heard 'round the world.' . . . Everyone in figure skating, to this day, should be sending a thank-you note to Tonya Harding."

If she hasn't already, Brennan might consider dropping the two-time Olympian a card, too. The story launched Brennan's career on such a rocket ride that she calls her condominium in an upscale Washington, D.C., neighborhood "the house that Tonya built."