Shawn Sawyer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shawn Sawyer
Sawyer in 2006
Personal information
Country represented	Canada
Born	(1985-01-14) January 14, 1985 (age 40) 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, born on January 14, 1985, in Edmundston, New Brunswick, is a former Canadian competitive figure skater. He was known for his amazing artistry and flexibility on the ice. Shawn won a silver medal at the Canadian National Championships in 2011. He also earned three bronze medals at the same competition in 2005, 2006, and 2008. Shawn even represented Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, where he finished 12th. What makes him unique is that he spins clockwise, which is different from most figure skaters!

About Shawn Sawyer

Shawn Sawyer was born in Edmundston, New Brunswick, a province in Canada.

Shawn's Skating Journey

Starting Out in Skating

Shawn began learning to skate when he was nine years old. Even as a young skater, people noticed his artistic style and his beautiful spiral moves. These skills caught the eye of Toller Cranston, an Olympic bronze medallist in figure skating. Toller was planning a special show to pass on his skating knowledge to a younger skater, and he chose Shawn. Toller Cranston remained a helpful guide and teacher for Shawn throughout his career.

In 1999, Shawn won a bronze medal at the novice level (a beginner competition level) at the Canada Winter Games, even though he was sick with a cold. The next year, he won the national novice title, becoming the best beginner skater in Canada.

Junior Skating Success

Shawn then started competing in the Junior Grand Prix series, which are international competitions for younger skaters. He won a bronze medal at his very first event. In the 2001-2002 season, he did so well that he qualified for the Junior Grand Prix Final, where only the top junior skaters compete. He finished fifth there and then won the national Junior title in Canada. This win allowed him to go to the 2002 Junior Worlds, where he placed 11th.

Shawn was already very flexible and was practicing a difficult move called a Biellmann spin. This spin involves holding one leg high above the head while spinning. He had been working on it since he was twelve and even performed it in a show after winning his junior title in 2002.

Later, Shawn changed coaches to Gordon Forbes. In his third year as a junior international skater, he won another Junior Grand Prix event. He then made his debut at the senior level (the highest level) at the Canadian Nationals, finishing in a promising 6th place. He repeated this placement at the World Junior Championships.

The 2003-2004 season was Shawn's last as a junior. After this season, he moved to Drummondville, Quebec, and started training with new coaches, Annie Barabe and Sophie Richard.

Competing as a Senior Skater

Shawn's first big international senior event was the 2004 Cup of Russia, where he just missed winning a medal. At the Canadian Nationals, he won a bronze medal. This earned him a spot at the 2005 Four Continents competition, which features skaters from North America, Asia, Africa, and Australia.

During the 2005-2006 season, which was the year of the Olympics, Shawn competed in two Grand Prix events. He then won another bronze medal at the Canadian Nationals. This important win meant he would represent Canada at the Olympics and the World Championships. He finished 12th at the Olympics and 21st at the Worlds.

In the 2006-2007 season, Shawn was in the lead after the short program at the Nationals. However, another skater, Emanuel Sandhu, performed incredibly well in the long program, pushing Shawn down to 4th place. This meant Shawn did not get to go to the Four Continents or World Championships that year.

Shawn continued to compete, winning his third bronze medal at the 2008 Canadian Championships. This sent him to the 2008 Four Continents competition, where he placed 9th.

In the 2008-2009 season, Shawn placed fifth at both 2008 Skate America and 2008 Skate Canada International. Interestingly, he won the free skate portion of the Skate Canada event with a high score.

In 2009-2010, Shawn earned a silver medal at 2009 Skate America. However, at the Canadian Nationals, he finished fourth, just missing out on a spot for the 2010 Olympic Games.

Ending His Competitive Career

In his final competitive season, 2010-2011, Shawn won the silver medal at the 2011 Canadian Championships. He was chosen to be part of the team for the World Championships. However, after a big earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the World Championships were moved to a later date. This new date conflicted with Shawn's commitment to perform in the "Stars on Ice" show. Shawn decided to withdraw from the World Championships and officially ended his competitive skating career. He continued to perform in ice shows, like Art on Ice.

Shawn's Special Moves

Shawn performs a Y-spin in competition

Shawn performs a cantilever in exhibition

Shawn was famous for his amazing spins and spiral positions. These moves showed off his incredible flexibility. Shawn was one of the few male skaters who included spirals in their programs, even though male skaters didn't get extra points for them. His arabesque, I, and Y positions in his spins and spirals were his signature moves, meaning they were unique to him.

Skating Programs

Shawn Sawyer performed to many different types of music during his career. Here are some of the songs he used for his short programs, free skating programs, and exhibition performances: