Naomi Lang facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Naomi Lang |
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Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev. Nürnberg Gala 2007
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country represented | United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | December 18, 1978 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Partner | Jeffrey Strong | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former partner | John Lee, Peter Tchernyshev | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former coach | Nikolai Morozov, Tatiana Tarasova, Alexander Zhulin, Igor Shpilband, Elizabeth Coates, Natalia Annenko | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Skating club | Desert Ice Skating Club of Arizona | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | February 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Naomi Lang is a famous American ice dancer. She was born on December 18, 1978. With her skating partner, Peter Tchernyshev, she won many big competitions. They were two-time champions at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in 2000 and 2002. They also won the U.S. national title five times in a row, from 1999 to 2003. Naomi and Peter even competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Naomi Lang made history as the first Native American woman to compete in the Winter Olympics. She is a member of the Karuk Tribe of California.
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About Naomi's Life
Naomi Lang grew up in Arcata, California. Her mother is Leslie Dixon, and her father, Jason Lang, is part of the Karuk tribe. Naomi started dancing when she was just three years old. She loved ballet and continued to dance until she was 15. She trained at the Dancer's Studio in Eureka, California.
Naomi also performed with the Grand Rapids Ballet Co. and studied ballet at the Interlochen Arts Academy. When she was 12, she won an award for her amazing ballet skills. She finished high school in 1997 in Lake Placid, New York.
Naomi has children. She married Mark Fitzgerald in 2008, and they had two children before they divorced. Later, Naomi married Jeffrey Strong, and they also have two children together. Today, Naomi and her family live in Gilbert, Arizona.
Naomi's Skating Journey
Naomi started ice skating when she was eight years old. She was inspired after watching a "Smurfs On Ice" show! She began competitive ice dancing with her first partner, John Lee. Together, they won the U.S. Novice title in 1995. The next year, they earned a silver medal at the U.S. Junior championships.
Teaming Up with Peter Tchernyshev
Peter Tchernyshev noticed Naomi at a U.S. Nationals event. He wrote her a letter in 1996, asking if they could try skating together. Their tryout in Lake Placid, New York, went very well! They trained there for nine months. Later, they moved to Detroit to train with new coaches.
Naomi and Peter quickly became a strong team. They won their first U.S. national title in 1999. The next year, they won gold at the 2000 Four Continents Championships. They also placed 8th at the 2000 World Championships. They even performed in popular ice shows like "Champions on Ice."
In 2000, Naomi and Peter moved to Hackensack, New Jersey, to train with Alexander Zhulin. They had to miss some competitions in 2001 because Peter had a leg injury. But they came back strong! They won their fourth national title in 2002 and then their second Four Continents title. They competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics, finishing eleventh, and placed ninth at the 2002 World Championships.
For the 2002-2003 season, Nikolai Morozov became their coach. Naomi had another injury, so they missed some events. But they still managed to win their fifth national title in 2003! They also earned a bronze medal at the 2003 Four Continents and placed 8th at the 2003 World Championships.
Naomi and Peter decided to stop competing in February 2004. Naomi had re-injured her Achilles tendon, which made it hard to continue. Even after retiring from competitions, they kept skating together professionally. They performed in many ice shows in the U.S., Europe, and Russia. They even skated at a private Christmas party for actor Jim Carrey!
Today, Naomi Lang works at The Ice Den Chandler/Scottsdale. She is the Manager of Ice Dance, helping new skaters learn and grow.
Images for kids
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Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev performing in 2007.
See Also
