Joannie Rochette facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Joannie Rochette, MD, CM |
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Rochette at the 2009 Worlds.
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| Personal information | |
| Country represented | Canada |
| Born | January 13, 1986 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Home town | La Visitation-de-l'Île-Dupas, Quebec, Canada |
| Height | 1.60 m |
| Former coach | Manon Perron Nathalie Martin Josée Normand Sébastien Britten Nathalie Riquier |
| Former choreographer | Shae-Lynn Bourne Lori Nichol David Wilson Sandra Bezic |
| Skating club | CPA Berthierville |
| Retired | 2013 |
| ISU personal best scores | |
| Combined total | 202.64 2010 Winter Olympics |
| Short program | 71.36 2010 Winter Olympics |
| Free skate | 131.28 2010 Winter Olympics |
Joannie Rochette (born January 13, 1986) is a Canadian physician and a former competitive figure skater. She won a bronze medal at the 2010 Olympic Games. She also earned a silver medal at the 2009 World Championships. Joannie was a six-time Canadian national champion from 2005 to 2010.
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Skating Career Highlights
Joannie Rochette was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She started skating when she was only two years old. Her mother took her to the rink, and she quickly fell in love with the sport.
Early Skating Years
In the 1999–2000 season, Joannie won her first big title. She became the Canadian champion at the novice level. The next year, she started competing in the ISU Junior Grand Prix series. She won her second national title at the junior level. She then competed at the World Junior Championships, finishing 8th.
In the 2001–02 season, Joannie earned a silver medal at a Junior Grand Prix event in Italy. She won a bronze medal at the Canadian Championships at the senior level. This allowed her to compete in bigger international events. She placed 8th at the Four Continents Championships. She also finished 5th at the World Junior Championships.
Rising to the Top
Joannie continued to improve each year. In the 2002–03 season, she won a silver medal at the Canadian Championships. The next season, 2003–04, she began competing in the senior ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. She even won the 2003 Bofrost Cup on Ice event.
The 2004–05 season was a big one for Joannie. She won a bronze medal at the Grand Prix Final. This competition features the best skaters from around the world. She also won her first senior Canadian national title at the 2005 Canadian Championships. This made her the first Canadian woman to win national titles at all three levels: novice, junior, and senior.
Olympic Debut and World Medal
Joannie made her Olympic debut at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. She placed 5th, which was a great achievement. She continued to win the Canadian national title for several years in a row.
In the 2008–09 season, Joannie won two silver medals at the Four Continents Championships. She then achieved a major milestone at the 2009 World Championships. She won the silver medal, becoming the first Canadian woman to win a medal at the World Championships since 1988.
The 2010 Vancouver Olympics
Joannie was chosen to represent Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. This was after she won her sixth straight Canadian national title.
Just two days before her competition began, Joannie received very sad news. Her mother, Thérèse Rochette, passed away suddenly. Despite her heartbreak, Joannie decided to continue competing. She wanted to skate in her mother's honor.
Her performance was incredibly brave and inspiring. She skated her best short program ever, earning a high score. Two days later, she performed her long program. She held onto her third-place position and won the bronze medal for Canada. She was the fifth Canadian woman to win an Olympic medal in ladies' figure skating.
At the Olympic closing ceremony, Joannie was chosen as the flag bearer for Canada. She also received the first-ever Terry Fox Award. This award honors athletes who show great courage and determination.
After the Olympics
After the 2010 Olympics, Joannie was voted the Female Athlete of the Year by The Canadian Press. She decided not to compete in figure skating professionally anymore.
In 2017, Skate Canada announced that Joannie would be inducted into the Skate Canada Hall of Fame. This is a special honor for Canadian skaters.
Life After Skating
Joannie Rochette's mother passed away on February 21, 2010, just before the Olympics. Joannie chose to keep skating as a tribute to her. She later placed her Olympic bronze medal on her mother's casket during the funeral.
Joannie has used her experience to help others. She became a spokesperson for the "iheartmom" campaign. This campaign helps raise awareness about heart disease in women. She has also worked with World Vision, a charity that helps children and communities around the world.
After retiring from skating, Joannie went back to school. She studied hard and enrolled in a medical program at McGill University in 2015. She worked towards becoming a doctor. In April 2020, Joannie earned her medical degree. She announced that she would be working in long-term care homes in Quebec during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Competitive Achievements
Joannie Rochette had a very successful career. Here are some of her main achievements:
- Olympic Games: Bronze medal in 2010.
- World Championships: Silver medal in 2009.
- Four Continents Championships: Two silver medals (2008, 2009) and one bronze medal (2007).
- Grand Prix Final: Bronze medal in 2004–05.
- Canadian Championships: Six-time national champion (2005–2010). She also won junior and novice titles.
Images for kids
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Rochette during her short program La Cumparsita at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
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