Brian Boitano facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brian Boitano
Boitano in 2010
Personal information
Country represented	United States
Born	(1963-10-22) October 22, 1963 (age 61) Mountain View, California
Height	5 ft 11 in
Retired	1988, 1994

Brian Anthony Boitano is a famous American figure skater. He was born on October 22, 1963, in Sunnyvale, California. Brian is best known for winning the gold medal at the 1988 Winter Olympics.

He also won the World Champion title twice, in 1986 and 1988. From 1985 to 1988, he was the U.S. National Champion four times in a row. After the 1988 season, Brian became a professional skater. He later returned to compete in 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.

Brian Boitano's Early Life

Brian Boitano grew up in Mountain View, California. He was born in 1963. He went to Marian A. Peterson High School in Sunnyvale, California. Brian's family comes from northern Italy. As an adult, he has lived in San Francisco.

Brian's Figure Skating Journey

Starting His Skating Career

Brian Boitano started skating when he was a child. He won a gold medal at the Junior U.S. Championships in 1978. That same year, he won a bronze medal at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships. 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 challenging. In 1982, he was the first American to land a triple Axel. In 1987, he created his own special jump, the 'Boitano triple Lutz.' In this jump, he raised his left arm above his head. He tried to land a quadruple jump many times, but he never landed it perfectly in competition.

At the 1983 World Championships, Brian was the first skater to land all six types of triple jumps in a competition. He eventually 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 skills. He teamed up with famous choreographer 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 great success in the next four years.

Becoming a World Champion

After the 1984 Olympics, Brian Boitano 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 Championships, Brian finished third.

He won his second national title in 1986, even with an ankle injury. At the 1986 World Championships, Brian won the title. His rival, Brian Orser, finished second.

In the 1986–87 season, Brian added new moves to his programs. These included the 'Tano triple lutz and a quadruple toe loop. The 1987 World Championships were held in Cincinnati. Brian placed second after falling on his quadruple toe loop attempt.

After losing the world title, Brian and his coach, Linda Leaver, decided to make changes. Brian was very good at the technical parts of skating. But he wanted to improve his artistic expression. He hired choreographer Sandra Bezic to help him.

Sandra Bezic created two new programs for Brian. These programs showed off his smooth skating. His short program was based on a ballet called Les Patineurs. His free skating program used music from the film Napoleon.

Brian showed his new programs at 1987 Skate Canada. This event was held in Calgary, Canada. This was the same place where he would compete against Brian Orser for the Olympic title. His new programs were very popular with the audience.

At the 1988 United States Figure Skating Championships, Brian's short program was a highlight. He received perfect scores for his presentation from many judges. He won the competition and went to the Olympics as the U.S. national champion.

1988 Olympics: The Battle of the Brians

The Battle of the Brians at the 1988 Winter Olympics was a very exciting event. Brian Boitano and Brian Orser were both top skaters. 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 used music from Napoleon and Josephine. He wore a blue suit with red braids and military-style shoulders.

Boitano and Orser were almost tied going into the final part of the competition, the free skating. Whoever won the free skate would win the gold medal. Brian Boitano skated a perfect, technically strong long program. He landed eight triple jumps, including two triple Axels. Landing his second triple Axel cleanly was very important. Orser made one small mistake and did not do his planned second triple Axel.

Boitano won the gold medal. He became the first Olympic champion to land all six types of triple jumps. Brian wore skates with American flag designs. These skates are now in the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institution.

After the Olympics, both Boitano and Orser competed at the 1988 World Figure Skating Championships. Brian Boitano won that competition too. He then became a professional skater.

Professional Skating and Return to Amateur Status

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, a skating film, and won an Emmy Award for it.

In 1993, the International Skating Union (ISU) changed its rules. This new rule, sometimes called the "Boitano rule," allowed professional skaters to become "amateur" again. This meant they could compete in the Olympics. Brian Boitano wanted to compete in the Olympics again.

Brian returned to amateur status to compete in the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. He competed at the 1994 United States Figure Skating Championships. He led after the short program but finished second overall. Brian was still chosen for the Olympic team.

At the 1994 Olympics, Brian made a rare mistake in his short program. This made it hard for him to win a medal. He skated a good long program and finished 6th.

After the 1994 Olympics, Brian returned to professional skating. In 1996, he was inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame and the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

Brian's Life Today

Brian Boitano at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France.

In December 2013, Brian Boitano was chosen to be part of the United States team for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. This appointment brought attention to the host country's policies. Brian's older brother, Mark Boitano, is a real estate agent and was a politician in New Mexico.

Skating Programs

Competition Results

See also

In Spanish: Brian Boitano para niños