Brian Boitano facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brian Boitano |
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Boitano in 2010
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| Personal information | |
| Country represented |  United States |
| Born | October 22, 1963 Mountain View, California |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in |
| Retired | 1988, 1994 |
Brian Anthony Boitano, born on October 22, 1963, is a famous American figure skater. He grew up in Sunnyvale, California. Brian won the gold medal at the 1988 Winter Olympics. He was also a two-time World Champion (in 1986 and 1988). Plus, he was a four-time U.S. National Champion from 1985 to 1988.
After his Olympic win, Brian became a professional skater. Later, new rules allowed him to compete as an amateur again. He returned to the 1994 Winter Olympics, finishing sixth. In 1996, he was honored by being added to both the World and United States Figure Skating Halls of Fame.
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Brian Boitano's Early Life
Brian Boitano was born in 1963. He grew up in Mountain View, California. He went to Marian A. Peterson High School in Sunnyvale, California. Brian has Italian American family roots from northern Italy. As an adult, he has lived in San Francisco.
Brian Boitano's Skating Career
Starting Out in Skating
Brian Boitano started skating when he was a child. He won a gold medal at the Junior U.S. Championships in 1978. He also won a bronze medal at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships that same year. He even beat his future rival, Brian Orser, for that medal.
Early in his career, Brian was known for his amazing jumps. He helped make men's skating more difficult and exciting. In 1982, Brian was the first American to land a triple Axel. In 1987, he showed off his special jump, the 'Boitano triple Lutz.' He would raise his left arm above his head while doing it. He tried to land a quadruple jump many times, but it was very hard.
At the 1983 World Championships, he made history. He was the first skater to land all six types of triple jumps in a competition. He later landed eight triple jumps in his free skate program. This was the most possible at the time. He worked hard to improve his artistic skating too. He worked with a famous choreographer named Sandra Bezic.
Brian placed second at the 1984 United States Figure Skating Championships. This earned him a spot in the 1984 Winter Olympics. He finished 5th at those Olympics. This set the stage for his big success in the next four years.
Becoming a World Champion
After the 1984 Olympics, Brian became a top contender. He won the 1985 United States Figure Skating Championships. This was the first of his four national titles. At the 1985 World Figure Skating Championships, he won a bronze medal.
Brian injured his ankle before the 1986 U.S. Championships. But he still won his second national title. At the 1986 World Figure Skating Championships, Brian won the gold medal.
In the 1986–87 season, Brian added new moves to his programs. He tried a quadruple toe loop. He even skated with a blindfold sometimes! At the 1987 World Championships, he placed second. He lost to Brian Orser at this event.
After losing the world title, Brian and his coach, Linda Leaver, made a plan. They wanted to improve his artistic skating. Brian felt he was a "jumping robot." So, he hired choreographer Sandra Bezic for the 1987–1988 Olympic season.
Sandra Bezic created two beautiful programs for Brian. His short program was based on a ballet called Les Patineurs. His free skating program was set to music from the film Napoleon. It showed different parts of a soldier's life.
Brian showed off his new programs at the 1987 Skate Canada International. This competition was held in the same arena as the Olympics. His new programs were loved by the audience. Even though Brian Orser won, Brian Boitano skated very well.
At the 1988 United States Figure Skating Championships, Brian's short program was amazing. He received perfect scores for his presentation. He won the competition. This meant he went into the Olympics as the U.S. national champion.
1988 Olympics: The Battle of the Brians
The Battle of the Brians was a huge event at the 1988 Winter Olympics. Brian Boitano and Brian Orser were both top skaters. They each had won a world title. Boitano was known for his strong technical skills. Orser was known for his artistic style.
Both skaters performed programs with a military theme. Boitano's free skate music was from Napoleon and Josephine. He wore a blue suit with red braids. He used military-like movements in his performance.
Boitano and Orser were very close in points before the final skate. The free skating part was worth half of the total score. Boitano skated a perfect, technically strong long program. He landed eight triple jumps. This included two triple Axels. Orser made a small mistake on a jump. He also missed one of his planned triple Axels.
Brian Boitano won the gold medal! He was the first Olympic champion to land all six types of triple jumps. His skates, with American flag designs, are now in the National Museum of American History. After the Olympics, Brian also won the 1988 World Figure Skating Championships. He then decided to become a professional skater.
Professional Skating and Return to the Olympics
After the Olympics, Brian Boitano became a very successful professional skater. He won ten professional competitions in a row. This included five World Professional Championship titles. He also appeared in Carmen on Ice and won an Emmy award for it.
In 1993, the International Skating Union (ISU) changed its rules. This allowed professional skaters to become "amateur" again. Brian Boitano wanted to compete in the Olympics one more time. So, he returned as an amateur.
Brian competed at the 1994 United States Figure Skating Championships. He finished second. He was still chosen for the Olympic team. At the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, Brian made a rare mistake. He missed his triple Axel combination in the short program. This mistake cost him a medal. He finished in 6th place.
After these Olympics, Brian went back to professional skating. In 1996, he was inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame. He also joined the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame.
Images for kids
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Brian Boitano at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.
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