Bradie Tennell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bradie Tennell
Tennell at the 2022 MK John Wilson Trophy
Personal information
Country represented	United States
Born	(1998-01-31) January 31, 1998 (age 27) Winfield, Illinois, United States
Home town	Cary, Illinois
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Coach	Benoit Richaud Jeremy Allen
Skating club	Skating Club of New York
Began skating	2000

Bradie Tennell (born January 31, 1998) is an American figure skater. She won a bronze medal at the 2018 Olympic team event. She also earned a silver medal at the 2025 Four Continents and a bronze at the 2020 Four Continents. Bradie is a two-time U.S. national champion, winning in 2018 and 2021.

Bradie started skating when she was two years old. She had to wear special shoe inserts to help her feet. Her first ice rink was in Crystal Lake, Illinois. When she was nine, she began working with coach Denise Myers. Bradie won her first competition at age ten. She became a senior-level skater in 2016. She had back injuries in 2015 and 2016. But she came back strong in 2017. She won the 2018 U.S. Nationals and competed in the 2018 Olympics.

About Bradie Tennell

Bradie Tennell was born on January 31, 1998, in Winfield, Illinois. Her mother, Jean Tennell, was a nurse. Bradie has two younger brothers who played hockey. Bradie, her mother, and brothers lived in a small apartment. Her mother worked hard to support the family.

Bradie loved skating from a very young age. She would ask her mother to take her to the ice rink. Her first rink was near her home in Carpentersville, Illinois. Bradie and her brothers were taught at home through online courses. When she was seven, Bradie drew a picture of herself on an Olympic podium. She imagined herself with her heroes, Michelle Kwan and Kristi Yamaguchi. Bradie also taught lessons to younger skaters. In 2018, she was taking college classes. She wanted to prepare for a career in the health field.

Bradie's Skating Journey

Starting Out in Skating

Bradie won her first competition when she was ten. In 2010, at age 12, she won the Upper Great Lakes Regionals. This allowed her to compete at the 2010 U.S. Junior Nationals, where she placed 10th. Her goal was to improve her double axel jump. In 2011, she placed third at Regionals and 15th at Junior Championships.

In 2012, she placed third at Midwestern Sectionals and Regionals. She competed at the 2012 U.S. Championships. There, she finished tenth overall. In 2013, Bradie won a bronze medal at the 2013 U.S. Nationals. This was her first important medal. She performed to music from The Nutcracker. She finished fourth at the 2014 U.S. Nationals.

Her Big Breakthrough Season (2014–15)

Bradie started the 2014–2015 season by competing in Japan. She placed eighth there. At the 2015 U.S. Championships, she had a "breakout moment." She won the gold medal as a junior skater. She performed a nearly perfect free skate. This win was a big step towards her dream of competing in the Olympics. A few months after Nationals, Bradie hurt her back. She had to wear a back brace for the summer.

Dealing with Injuries (2015–17)

Bradie's 2015–2016 season started with an 11th place finish in Austria. She then placed sixth at her first senior U.S. Nationals. This earned her a spot at the World Junior Championships. She finished 11th there. In June 2016, Bradie had another back injury.

Tennell at the 2017 Junior Worlds Championships

Bradie had to wear a back brace again in the summer of 2016. She was off the ice for three months. She worked hard on physical therapy. Her coach, Denise Myers, praised Bradie for her strong will. Bradie said that not being able to skate made her love the sport even more. She made her senior international debut in November 2016. She placed third at the Tallinn Trophy. At the 2017 U.S. Championships, she finished ninth. She then placed seventh at the 2017 World Junior Championships.

Olympic Dream Comes True (2017–18)

The 2017–2018 season was Bradie's first injury-free season in a while. She started as a lesser-known skater but became a U.S. champion and Olympic medalist. Her short program music was from the Korean film Taegukgi. Her free skate was set to the Cinderella soundtrack.

Bradie won her first event of the season in August 2017. This earned her an invitation to Skate America. At Skate America, her first senior Grand Prix event, she performed two perfect routines. She finished third overall. She was the first U.S. woman in ten years to win a medal at her first Grand Prix.

At the U.S. Championships, Bradie skated two more perfect routines. She was in first place after the short program. She received a standing ovation from the crowd. She won her first Nationals gold medal. Bradie, Mirai Nagasu, and Karen Chen were chosen for the U.S. Olympic team. The 2018 Games were Bradie's first Olympics.

At the Olympics, Bradie skated a clean short program for the team competition. She finished fifth and helped the U.S. win a bronze medal. In the individual event, she fell for the first time all season during her short program. She recovered and skated the rest of her program well. She finished ninth overall, the highest among her American teammates. After the Olympics, Bradie competed at the 2018 World Championships. She finished sixth overall. She then joined the Stars on Ice tour.

New Challenges and Growth (2018–19)

Bradie started the 2018–2019 season wanting to be a "whole new skater." She worked on being more expressive. Her choreographer, Benoit Richaud, said she was "still under construction." She added a difficult triple Lutz-triple loop combination to her programs.

Her short program music was "Rebirth" from the film Lucy. Her free skate used music from three versions of Romeo and Juliet. Bradie's first competition was the Autumn Classic International. She won her first senior international title there. She beat two-time world champion Evgenia Medvedeva. Bradie performed with power and grace. She completed seven solid triple jumps.

At 2018 Skate America, she placed fourth. At the 2018 Internationaux de France, she finished third. She then won the 2018 CS Golden Spin. At the U.S. Nationals, Bradie was in first place after her short program. She set a new record for the highest short program score at U.S. Nationals. She finished second overall, behind Alysa Liu. Bradie competed at the Four Continents Championships. She was in the lead after the short program but finished fifth overall. At the World Championships, she finished seventh. Bradie ended the season by helping the U.S. team win the 2019 World Team Trophy. She had her best free skating program of her career.

Bronze and Silver Medals (2019–20)

In the summer of 2019, Bradie worked on her artistry. She also tried to add a triple Axel jump. Her short program music was by Kirill Richter. Her free skate was from the film Cinema Paradiso.

Bradie had a foot injury but returned to training. At 2019 Skate America, she placed first in her short program. She set a new personal best score. She finished second overall, earning her first Grand Prix silver medal. At Skate Canada, she placed fourth. Bradie was the only American woman to compete at the 2019 Grand Prix Final. She finished fifth there.

At the 2020 U.S. Nationals, Bradie had an arm injury. Despite this, she placed first in the short program. She set another record for the highest short program score at Nationals. She finished third overall. Bradie then won a bronze medal at the 2020 Four Continents Championships. This was the first time an American woman medaled there since 2017. She was chosen for the 2020 World Championships, but the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Training Changes and Another National Title (2020–21)

In August 2020, Bradie changed coaches to Tom Zakrajsek. She moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to train with him. They worked on adding a triple Axel and quadruple jumps. Bradie's programs were choreographed over Zoom. She wanted to show a more mature side to her skating.

Bradie placed second at 2020 Skate America. She had some injuries and boot problems early in the season. She won the U.S. Nationals in 2021 for the second time. She was the first woman in 101 years to win the U.S. championship with three years between titles. Bradie set a new record for the U.S. Nationals women's short program score. She performed a nearly perfect free skate.

Bradie and Karen Chen were chosen for the 2021 World Championships. Bradie finished ninth overall. Her placement helped the U.S. secure spots for the 2022 Winter Olympics. She also competed at the 2021 World Team Trophy, where Team USA finished second.

Foot Injury and Recovery (2021–22)

Bradie had to withdraw from her first Grand Prix events of the 2021–22 season due to a foot injury. In December 2021, she withdrew from the 2022 U.S. Championships. This made her unable to compete in the Olympics unless she asked for a special spot. Bradie called it "the hardest decision of my life." She promised to return to competition.

Ups and Downs (2022–23)

After her foot healed, Bradie started training in France with her choreographer, Benoit Richaud. She decided to train with him full-time in Nice. She wanted to experience new training methods. She also started learning French.

Bradie had to withdraw from some early competitions due to an ankle injury. She was able to compete at the 2022 MK John Wilson Trophy in England. She struggled there, finishing twelfth. At the 2022 Grand Prix of Espoo, she placed eighth. Bradie then finished second at the 2022 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb. This was her first time on the podium that season.

At the 2023 U.S. Championships, Bradie placed second in the short program. She felt happy to skate in San Jose again, where she won her first Nationals. She finished second in the free skate as well. Bradie won the silver medal, marking a strong comeback. She, Isabeau Levito, and Amber Glenn were chosen for the 2023 Four Continents Championships.

At Four Continents, Bradie finished fifth in the short program. She made some small errors in her free skate and dropped to sixth overall. She later said she had been sick that week. Bradie placed 15th at the 2023 World Championships. She said she had "a lot of nerves" but was pleased with her effort.

Another Injury (2023–24)

Bradie started the 2023–2024 season by winning two smaller competitions. She was set to compete in the Grand Prix. However, she broke her ankle during training. This was her second ankle injury in three years. She needed two surgeries to fix it. Bradie said the injury was "devastating" but she was determined to come back stronger.

Strong Comeback (2024–25)

After five months off the ice, Bradie felt "100% healthy." She continued training with Benoit Richaud. Bradie returned to competition at the 2024 Shanghai Trophy, where she won a silver medal.

She then competed at 2024 Skate America. She placed second in the short program. She finished fifth overall. At NHK Trophy, she placed fifth. She then won a bronze medal at the 2024 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb.

In January, Bradie competed at the 2025 U.S. Championships. She placed second in the short program and fourth overall. She was very happy with her short program performance. Bradie was then assigned to compete at the 2025 Four Continents Championships in South Korea. She placed fifth in the short program. She then skated a strong free skate, moving up to win the silver medal. This was the first time two American women were on the podium at Four Continents since 2012. Bradie said she was happy with her performance after all her struggles. She closed the season by winning gold at the 2025 Maria Olszewska Memorial.

Skating Style

Bradie Tennell is known for her consistent skating, strong jumps, and mental toughness. Commentators have called her "a machine." Her strengths are her athleticism and her ability to land difficult jumps. She rarely falls in competitions. Bradie credits her first coach, Denise Myers, for teaching her good technique. She also says her mother's support helped her succeed.

Bradie has said she is "never a nervous competitor." She enjoys the challenge of jumps and performing for the audience. While her jumps and spins are excellent, some experts have noted that she has worked on showing more emotion in her skating.

Programs

Competitive highlights

Detailed results

Senior level

The women's podium at the 2018 Internationaux de France. From left: Mai Mihara (2nd), Rika Kihira (1st), and Bradie Tennell (3rd)

Results in the 2015–16 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Jan 15–24, 2016	2016 U.S. Championships	7	58.26	6	123.07	6	181.33

Results in the 2016–17 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Nov 20–27, 2016	2016 CS Tallinn Trophy	8	54.44	3	114.54	3	168.98
Jan 14–22, 2017	2017 U.S. Championships	9	59.77	11	110.21	9	169.98

Results in the 2017–18 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Aug 3–6, 2017	2017 Philadelphia Summer International	2	64.92	2	120.06	1	184.98
Sep 14–17, 2017	2017 CS Lombardia Trophy	5	64.34	3	132.36	4	196.70
Nov 24–26, 2017	2017 Skate America	4	67.01	3	137.09	3	204.10
Jan 1–9, 2018	2018 U.S. Championships	1	73.79	1	145.72	1	219.51
Feb 9–12, 2018	2018 Winter Olympics (Team event)	5	68.94	N/A	N/A	3	N/A
Feb 21–23, 2018	2018 Winter Olympics	11	64.01	9	128.34	9	192.35
Mar 21–23, 2018	2018 World Championships	7	68.76	4	131.13	6	199.89

Results in the 2018–19 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Sep 20–22, 2018	2018 CS Autumn Classic International	2	69.26	1	137.15	1	206.41
Oct 6, 2018	2018 Japan Open	N/A	N/A	4	126.86	3	N/A
Oct 19–21, 2018	2018 Skate America	5	61.72	4	131.17	4	192.89
Nov 23–25, 2018	2018 Internationaux de France	6	61.34	2	136.44	3	197.78
Dec 5–8, 2018	2018 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb	1	71.50	1	130.91	1	202.41
Jan 18–27, 2019	2019 U.S. Championships	1	76.60	4	136.99	2	213.59
Feb 7–10, 2019	2019 Four Continents Championships	1	73.91	5	128.16	5	202.07
Mar 18–24, 2019	2019 World Championships	10	69.50	7	143.97	7	213.47
Apr 11–14, 2019	2019 World Team Trophy	4	74.81	2	150.83	1 (2)	225.64

Results in the 2019–20 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Oct 5, 2019	2019 Japan Open	N/A	N/A	5	124.91	3	N/A
Oct 18–20, 2019	2019 Skate America	1	75.10	2	141.04	2	216.14
Oct 25–27, 2019	2019 Skate Canada International	4	72.92	5	138.39	4	211.31
Nov 14–17, 2019	2019 CS Warsaw Cup	1	70.10	5	118.91	2	189.01
Dec 5–8, 2019	2019–20 Grand Prix Final	4	72.20	5	139.98	5	212.18
Jan 20–26, 2020	2020 U.S. Championships	1	78.96	3	141.90	3	220.86
Feb 4–9, 2020	2020 Four Continents Championships	2	75.93	3	147.04	3	222.97

Results in the 2020–21 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Oct 23–24, 2020	2020 Skate America	2	73.29	1	137.78	2	211.07
Jan 11–21, 2021	2021 U.S. Championships	1	79.40	1	153.21	1	232.61
Mar 22–28, 2021	2021 World Championships	7	69.87	8	127.94	9	197.81
Apr 15–18, 2021	2021 World Team Trophy	5	67.40	4	133.19	2 (5)	200.59

Results in the 2022–23 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Nov 11–13, 2022	2022 MK John Wilson Trophy	10	56.50	12	96.69	12	153.19
Nov 25–27, 2022	2022 Grand Prix of Espoo	7	60.64	9	103.34	8	163.98
Dec 7–10, 2022	2022 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb	1	68.84	4	124.47	2	193.31
Jan 26–28, 2023	2023 U.S. Championships	2	73.76	2	139.36	2	213.12
Feb 7–12, 2023	2023 Four Continents Championships	5	69.49	6	130.42	6	199.91
Mar 20–26, 2023	2023 World Championships	8	66.45	16	117.69	15	184.14

Results in the 2023–24 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Oct 3–5, 2023	2023 Shanghai Trophy	2	67.38	1	132.42	1	199.80
Oct 13–15, 2023	2023 CS Budapest Trophy	1	65.09	1	120.75	1	185.84

Results in the 2024–25 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Oct 3–5, 2024	2024 Shanghai Trophy	2	66.62	2	129.99	2	196.61
Oct 18–20, 2024	2024 Skate America	2	66.99	6	125.05	5	192.04
Nov 8–10, 2024	2024 NHK Trophy	5	62.05	3	128.20	5	190.25
Dec 5–7, 2024	2024 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb	1	68.32	3	122.78	3	191.10
Jan 20–26, 2025	2025 U.S. Championships	2	71.23	4	128.71	4	199.94
Feb 19–23, 2025	2025 Four Continents Championships	5	66.58	2	137.80	2	204.38
Mar 4–9, 2025	2025 Maria Olszewska Memorial	1	72.66	1	147.63	1	220.29

Junior level

Results in the 2013–14 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Jan 5–12, 2014	2014 U.S. Championships (Junior)	4	55.34	6	86.65	4	141.99
Mar 28–30, 2014	2014 Gardena Spring Trophy	3	49.06	2	91.50	3	140.56

Results in the 2014–15 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Sep 10–14, 2014	2014 JGP Japan	4	54.92	8	89.97	8	144.89
Jan 18–25, 2015	2015 U.S. Championships (Junior)	1	59.38	1	116.98	1	176.36

Results in the 2015–16 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Sep 8–12, 2015	2015 JGP Austria	9	46.35	13	78.19	11	124.54
Mar 14–20, 2016	2016 World Junior Championships	4	58.56	14	88.96	11	147.52

Results in the 2016–17 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Mar 15–19, 2017	2017 World Junior Championships	7	57.47	7	103.89	7	161.36

See also

In Spanish: Bradie Tennell para niños