Naomi Nari Nam facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Naomi Nari Nam
Nam and Leftheris in 2006.
Personal information
Country represented	United States
Born	(1985-07-06) July 6, 1985 (age 39) Anaheim, California
Height	1.53 m
Former partner	Themistocles Leftheris
Former coach	Peter Oppegard Karen Kwan-Oppegard John Nicks
Former choreographer	Peter Oppegard
Skating club	All Year FSC
Retired	October 10, 2008
ISU personal best scores
Combined total	161.32 2006 Skate America
Short program	57.32 2006 Skate America
Free skate	104.00 2006 Skate America

Naomi Nari Nam, born on July 6, 1985, is a former American figure skater. She was really good at both single skating (skating alone) and pair skating (skating with a partner). As a single skater, she won a silver medal at the U.S. national championships in 1999. Later, as a pair skater with Themistocles Leftheris, she won a bronze medal at 2006 Skate America and another bronze at the U.S. national championships in 2007.

About Naomi Nari Nam's Life

Naomi Nari Nam was born in Anaheim, California, on July 6, 1985. She is Korean American, meaning her family comes from Korea. She can speak Korean very well.

Naomi married Tyler Poor on August 2, 2010, in Orange County, California. They have two children. Their son, Aiden Zachary Poor, was born in March 2011. Their daughter, Bella Tatum Poor, was born on April 16, 2013.

Naomi Nam's Skating Journey

Naomi Nam had a successful career in figure skating. She competed both as a single skater and later as a pair skater.

Single Skating Achievements

Naomi started her skating career as a single skater. She won the novice ladies' title at the U.S. Championships in 1997. The next year, she earned a pewter medal at the junior level at the 1998 U.S. Championships.

In 1999, Naomi competed at the senior level. She won the silver medal at the U.S. Championships, finishing right after the famous skater Michelle Kwan. Because of her success, she got many endorsements in South Korea. She even appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, a popular TV show.

Naomi was not old enough to compete at the 1999 World Championships. The rules said skaters had to be a certain age. Another U.S. skater, Sarah Hughes, went instead because she had won a medal at the Junior World Championships.

Naomi competed in the 1999–2000 ISU Junior Grand Prix series. She won a silver medal in Canada and placed 7th in Japan. She did not make it to the final competition for the Junior Grand Prix. At the 2000 U.S. Championships, she placed 8th.

Her coach for single skating was John Nicks in Costa Mesa, California. In July 2000, Naomi started having hip pain. She later found out she had a fracture in her growth plate. After she healed, she tried to compete at the 2001 U.S. Championships. However, she had to stop because her hip pain returned. Doctors found torn cartilage in her hip joint, and she had surgery to fix it.

In 2003, Naomi won a regional title. But she placed 5th at a bigger competition called Pacific Coast Sectionals. This meant she did not qualify for the 2004 U.S. Championships.

Switching to Pair Skating

Two weeks after deciding to try pair skating, Naomi had a tryout with Themi Leftheris in April 2005. They quickly became a strong team. They won both their regional and sectional competitions. Then, they placed 5th at the 2006 U.S. Championships.

Naomi Nam and Themistocles Leftheris at the 2006 Skate America competition.

During the 2006–07 season, Naomi and Themi won a bronze medal at 2006 Skate America. This was a big international competition. They also won a bronze medal at the 2007 U.S. Championships. They finished behind two other strong teams. They then placed 6th at the 2007 Four Continents Championships.

On August 24, 2007, Naomi had another hip surgery. This time, doctors removed a bone spur and repaired torn cartilage in her right hip. She needed crutches for eight weeks while she recovered. She returned to the ice on October 19. Because of her recovery, Naomi and Themi had to withdraw from their planned competitions, 2007 Skate America and 2007 Cup of China.

They placed 7th at the 2008 U.S. Championships. Naomi announced she was retiring from competitive skating on October 10, 2008. She explained that her hip injury kept coming back, making it hard to continue.

Naomi and Themi were coached by Peter Oppegard and Karen Kwan-Oppegard. They trained at the EastWest Ice Palace in Artesia, California.

Skating Programs and Music

Figure skaters perform to music. They have different programs, like a short program and a free skating program. Here's some of the music Naomi used for her performances.

Programs with Themistocles Leftheris

Single Skating Programs

Competitive Highlights and Medals

Here are some of Naomi Nam's top results from her competitive skating career.

GP: Grand Prix; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

Pairs with Themistocles Leftheris

Naomi Nam and Themistocles Leftheris on the podium at the 2006 Skate America.

Ladies' Singles Highlights