Shawn Sawyer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shawn Sawyer |
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Sawyer in 2006
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| Personal information | |
| Country represented |  Canada |
| Born | January 14, 1985 Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada |
| Home town | Sainte-Julie, Quebec |
| Height | 1.64 m (5 ft 4+1⁄2 in) |
| Began skating | 1994 |
| Retired | April 1, 2011 |
Shawn Sawyer is a Canadian former figure skater who was born on January 14, 1985, in Edmundston, New Brunswick. He was known for his artistic skating style and amazing spins. Shawn won the silver medal at the 2011 Canadian Figure Skating Championships. He also earned bronze medals at the Canadian Nationals in 2005, 2006, and 2008. Shawn represented Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. He finished 12th in the competition. Shawn is unique because he spins clockwise, which is different from most skaters.
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About Shawn Sawyer
Shawn Sawyer was born in Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada. After he stopped competing in figure skating, Shawn joined Cirque du Soleil in 2017. He performs in their show called "Crystal." This show is directed by Shana Carroll and Sebastien Soldevila.
Shawn's Skating Journey
Starting to Skate
Shawn began skating when he was nine years old. Even as a young skater, he was known for his artistic moves and beautiful spirals. His talent caught the eye of Toller Cranston, an Olympic bronze medallist. Toller Cranston became a mentor to Shawn, sharing his knowledge of skating and life.
Early Competitions
In 1999, Shawn won a bronze medal at the Canada Winter Games. The next year, he won the national novice title. He then started competing in the Junior Grand Prix series. He won a bronze medal at his first Junior Grand Prix event.
In the 2001-2002 season, Shawn qualified for the Junior Grand Prix Final. He finished fifth there. After that, he won the national Junior title in Canada. This win sent him to the 2002 World Junior Figure Skating Championships, where he placed 11th.
Shawn was very flexible and worked on a special spin called a Biellmann spin. He performed this difficult spin in an exhibition after winning the junior title in 2002.
Moving to Senior Skating
Shawn started competing at the senior level in the 2003-2004 season. He placed 6th at the 2003 Canadian Figure Skating Championships. He also placed 6th at the 2003 World Junior Figure Skating Championships. After this season, he moved to Drummondville, Quebec, and started training with new coaches, Annie Barabe and Sophie Richard.
Senior Career Highlights
Shawn's first senior international event was the 2004 Cup of Russia. He just missed winning a medal there. At the 2005 Canadian Figure Skating Championships, he won a bronze medal. This earned him a spot at the 2005 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships.
In the 2005-2006 season, Shawn earned another bronze medal at the 2006 Canadian Figure Skating Championships. This allowed him to compete at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. He finished 12th at the Olympics.
In 2008, Shawn won his third bronze medal at the Canadian Championships. He continued to compete in various international events. In 2009, he won a silver medal at 2009 Skate America.
His final competitive season was 2010-2011. Shawn won the silver medal at the 2011 Canadian Figure Skating Championships. He was chosen to go to the 2011 World Figure Skating Championships. However, the event was postponed due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The new dates conflicted with his commitment to perform in the "Stars on Ice" show. Shawn decided to withdraw from the World Championships. He then decided to end his competitive skating career. He continued to perform in ice shows like "Art on Ice."
Shawn's Special Moves
Shawn Sawyer was famous for his amazing spins and spiral positions. These moves showed off his great flexibility. He was one of the few male skaters who performed spirals in his programs. This was unusual because male skaters did not get extra points for spiral sequences. Shawn's arabesque, I, and Y positions in his spins and spirals were his signature moves.
Images for kids
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Sawyer in 2006
