Carol Heiss facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carol Heiss Jenkins
Carol Heiss in 1960
Personal information
Country represented	United States
Born	(1940-01-20) January 20, 1940 (age 85) New York City, U.S.
Former coach	Pierre Brunet
Skating club	Skating Club of New York
Retired	1960
Medal record Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 1960 Squaw Valley Singles Silver 1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo Singles World Championships Gold 1960 Vancouver Singles Gold 1959 Colorado Springs Singles Gold 1958 Paris Singles Gold 1957 Colorado Springs Singles Gold 1956 Garmisch-Partenkirchen Singles Silver 1955 Vienna Singles North American Championships Gold 1959 Toronto Singles Gold 1957 Rochester Singles Silver 1955 Regina Singles Silver 1953 Cleveland Singles

Carol Elizabeth Heiss Jenkins (born January 20, 1940) is a famous American former figure skater and actress. She competed in ladies' singles. Carol became the 1960 Olympic champion. She also won a silver medal at the 1956 Olympics. Carol was a five-time World champion from 1956 to 1960.

Early Life and Family

Carol Elizabeth Heiss was born on January 20, 1940, in New York City. She grew up in Ozone Park, Queens. Her father, Edward, was a baker. Her mother, Marie, took care of their home. Both of her parents had moved from Germany.

Carol started skating when she was six years old. Her younger sister, Nancy Heiss, and brother, Bruce Heiss, also became top figure skaters. In the 1950s, the three Heiss siblings were even featured in magazines like Life.

Skating Career

Becoming a Champion

Carol Heiss quickly showed her talent in skating. She won many local youth competitions. In 1951, at just 11 years old, she won the U.S. novice ladies' title. This made her well-known across the country.

Her coach was Pierre Brunet. In 1952, she won the junior women's singles title at the national championships. The next year, in 1953, she moved up to the senior level.

From 1953 to 1956, Carol finished second at the national championships. She was often right behind another great skater, Tenley Albright. In 1954, she even competed with an injury to her Achilles' tendon.

Olympic and World Success

Carol Heiss was chosen for the U.S. team for the 1956 Winter Olympics in Italy. She won the silver medal there, while Tenley Albright won the gold. However, at the World Championships that same year, Carol defeated Albright. This was her first of five World titles in a row.

After the 1956 Olympics, Carol had chances to become a professional skater. But her mother, Marie Heiss, was very sick. Before her mother passed away in October 1956, she asked Carol to win an Olympic gold medal. Carol worked hard to achieve this goal.

From 1957 to 1960, Carol Heiss was the best in women's figure skating. She won the World and U.S. Championships every year. At the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California, Carol won the gold medal. All nine judges ranked her first. She also took the Olympic Oath to officially open the 1960 games.

After winning the 1960 World Championships, Carol became one of only three women to win five World Championships in a row. She then decided to stop competing.

Skating Skills and Honors

In 1953, Carol Heiss made history. She was the first female skater to successfully land a double Axel jump. One of her special moves was doing a series of single Axels. She would switch between spinning clockwise and counterclockwise. Most skaters usually spin and jump in the same direction.

Carol Heiss has been honored for her amazing career. She was inducted into both the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame and the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

Life After Skating

Carol Heiss as Snow White and Edson Stroll as Prince Charming in the 1961 film Snow White and the Three Stooges

After her competitive skating career, Carol Heiss became an actress. She played the main female role in the 1961 film Snow White and the Three Stooges.

Later, in the late 1970s, she started coaching figure skaters. She coached in Lakewood, Ohio. Some of her famous students include Timothy Goebel, Tonia Kwiatkowski, and Miki Ando.

Personal Life

While she was competing, Carol Heiss studied at New York University. She graduated after the 1960 Winter Olympics. In 1961, she married another American figure skater, Hayes Alan Jenkins. He had won the 1956 Olympic gold medal. Carol and Hayes have three children together.

Results Overview

Carol Heiss had a very successful competitive career. Here are some of her top results:

See also

In Spanish: Carol Heiss para niños