Elizabeth Manley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elizabeth Manley |
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Elizabeth Manley at the 2010 Winter Olympics
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country represented | Canada | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | August 7, 1965 Belleville, Ontario |
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| Height | 1.52 m | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former coach | Peter Dunfield Sonya Klopfer |
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| Former skating club | Gloucester Skating Club | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former training locations | Orleans, Ontario | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | 1988 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Elizabeth Ann Manley (born August 7, 1965) is a Canadian former competitive figure skater. She is famous for winning the silver medal at the 1988 Winter Olympics. She also won a silver medal at the 1988 World Championships. Elizabeth was a three-time Canadian national champion.
Early Life and Skating Start
Elizabeth Manley was born in 1965 in Belleville, Ontario. She grew up in Trenton. Elizabeth is the youngest of four children and the only girl. Her father was in the military, so her family moved sometimes. When Elizabeth was eight, they moved to Ottawa. After her parents divorced, her mother, Joan, raised her.
Elizabeth started skating when she was very young. Her mother spent a lot of time and money to help her daughter's skating dreams.
Her Amazing Skating Career
Elizabeth won a bronze medal at the World Junior Championships in Germany in 1982. Later that year, she skated in her first senior World Championships. She finished 13th in Denmark.
In 1982–83, Elizabeth moved to Lake Placid, New York. She wanted to train more intensely. But she felt sad and missed her home. She decided to take a short break from skating. Luckily, her coaches, Peter Dunfield and Sonya Dunfield, agreed to train her in Ontario. They worked with her at the Gloucester Skating Club.
Elizabeth competed in the 1984 Winter Olympics. She placed 13th. She also competed in the World Championships from 1984 to 1987. At the 1987 Worlds, she was close to winning a medal. But a difficult long program meant she finished in fourth place.
The 1988 Winter Olympics
When the 1988 Winter Olympics began, not many people thought Elizabeth would win a medal. She was also battling an illness. But she skated very well in the first parts of the competition. Before the final long program, she was in third place. Two other skaters, Katarina Witt and Debi Thomas, were ahead of her. They were both favorites to win gold. The media even called their rivalry the "Battle of the Carmens". This was because both skated to music from the opera Carmen.
Katarina Witt skated a clean program. Debi Thomas had some falls. Then it was Elizabeth Manley's turn. She gave the best performance of her life! It was so special that a famous announcer, Jim McKay, said, "Wouldn't it be great if every human being could have a moment like this once in their lives?" Elizabeth won the long program. She came very close to beating Witt for the Olympic gold.
A skating expert, Ellyn Kestnbaum, described Elizabeth's Olympic free skate as "athletic." She did amazing jumps like a triple loop and a triple lutz. Elizabeth also skated with a "cheerful and outgoing style." This made the audience love her performance. Her unexpected medal made her a national hero in Canada.
After winning the silver medal at the 1988 World Championships, Elizabeth stopped competing as an amateur.
Life After Competing
After retiring from amateur skating, Elizabeth performed in many ice shows. She also appeared in television specials. She was known for her creative and unique programs. Today, she works as a figure skating coach. She also sometimes comments on skating events for the media. In 1988, she was given the Order of Canada award. This is a very high honor in Canada.
Elizabeth has written two books about her life. The first, Thumbs Up!, came out in 1990. Her second book, As I Am: My Life After the Olympics, was published in 1999.
In 1992, Elizabeth starred as Red Riding Hood in a TV movie. It was called The Trial of Red Riding Hood. It first aired on the CBC. Later, it was shown on the Disney Channel.
In 2014, Elizabeth Manley was added to Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.
Personal Life and Advocacy
Elizabeth Manley married television producer David N. Rosen in June 2019.
Elizabeth is a spokesperson for mental health issues. She has openly shared her own experiences with depression. She wants to help others who are struggling. Since 2009, she has also been a spokesperson for Ovarian Cancer Canada's Winners Walk of Hope. Her mother passed away from ovarian cancer in 2008. Her father passed away in 2010.
