Tara Lipinski facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tara Lipinski
Lipinski at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi
Born	Tara Kristen Lipinski (1982-06-10) June 10, 1982 (age 43) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Occupation	Figure skater Actress Sports commentator Film producer
Spouse(s)	Todd Kapostasy ​ (m. 2017)​
Children	1
Tara Lipinski Personal information Country represented  United States Began skating 1988 Retired 2002

Tara Kristen Lipinski (born June 10, 1982) is an American former figure skater, actress, sports commentator, and film producer. She was a top competitor in women's singles skating. Tara is famous for winning the gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics. She also won the 1997 World Championship and the 1997 U.S. national title.

Tara Lipinski was the youngest single skater to win a U.S. Nationals title. She was also the youngest to become an Olympic and World champion in figure skating history until 2019. She was the first woman to land a triple loop-triple loop jump combination in a competition. This was her special, signature jump. Starting in 1997, Tara had a friendly rivalry with fellow skater Michelle Kwan. This rivalry was often talked about by the American news. It ended when Tara won the gold medal at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano.

Tara stopped competing in figure skating in 1998. She performed in live shows until she fully retired from skating in 2002. In 2014, Tara became a main figure skating commentator for NBC. She worked alongside sports commentator Terry Gannon and her good friend, fellow skater Johnny Weir.

Tara Lipinski's Early Life

Tara Kristen Lipinski was born on June 10, 1982, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her parents are Pat and Jack Lipinski. She spent her first few years in Sewell, New Jersey. When Tara was two, she watched the 1984 Summer Olympics. She stood on a bowl and pretended to be a gold medalist.

At age three, she started roller skating. She became a national champion in her age group when she was nine. That same year, she began figure skating, using her roller skating skills on the ice. She later focused only on figure skating. She took lessons at the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware.

In 1991, Tara's family moved to Sugar Land, Texas, near Houston. This was because her father got a job promotion. She trained at a public rink there. Two years later, Tara and her mother moved back to Delaware. They wanted to continue her training with coach Jeff DiGregorio. Her father stayed in Texas to support the family. In 1995, Tara and her mother moved to Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. There, she trained with coach Richard Callaghan at the Detroit Skating Club.

Tara Lipinski's Skating Career

Starting Her Competitive Journey

In 1994, Tara Lipinski won a silver medal. This was in the novice women's division at the 1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. When she was 12, she became the youngest athlete to win a gold medal at the 1994 U.S. Olympic Festival. She then won first place at the Blue Swords competition in Germany. This was her first international event, and the media started to notice her.

As a junior skater, she placed fourth at the 1995 World Junior Figure Skating Championships. She also came in second at the 1995 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. In late 1995, she placed fifth at the 1996 World Junior Figure Skating Championships. After this, her coaching relationship with Jeff DiGregorio ended.

Tara and her mother then chose Richard Callaghan as her new coach. In January 1996, Tara won a bronze medal as a senior-level skater at the 1996 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Even though expectations were low, she qualified for the 1996 World Figure Skating Championships. At this event, she was 23rd after the short program. But her free skate, which had seven triple jumps, moved her up to 15th place.

Becoming a World Champion

Tara and Coach Callaghan worked to make her skating look more grown-up. She took ballet classes and hired choreographer Sandra Bezic. Sandra helped create programs that showed joy but looked mature. In late 1996, Tara added the triple loop-triple loop jump combination to her routines. This made her programs much harder. She was the first woman to land this jump combination in a competition.

Tara competed in the ISU Champions Series (now called the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating) in the 1996–97 season. She finished second at Skate Canada. She was third at Trophée Lalique and second at the 1996 Nations Cup. She won the gold medal at the Champion Series Final. She beat Michelle Kwan by landing more successful jumps.

Michelle Kwan, Tara's skating rival

In February 1997, at age 14, Tara became the youngest skater to win a U.S. Championships title. She broke a record set in 1951. She beat Kwan, who was the reigning U.S. champion. Kwan fell twice in her free skate, which opened the door for Tara's win. Tara was the last skater to perform. She skated perfectly with seven triple jumps, including her triple loop-triple loop combination. She won first place. Many people say this event started the Kwan–Lipinski rivalry.

A month later, Tara won the 1997 World Championships. She became the youngest female skater to win this event. She was a month younger than Sonja Henie when she won in 1927. Tara completed seven triple jumps and two double Axels. Her performance was called "light, airy, composed, and nearly flawless." The final results were very close. Tara, Kwan, and Russian skater Irina Slutskaya all received first-place votes. Tara won overall because she had more second-place votes in the free skate. This was the first time the U.S. had finished first and second at Worlds since 1992.

Road to the Olympics

Between seasons, Tara grew two inches and turned 15. She continued to make her programs more sophisticated. She took daily dance classes from a Russian ballet teacher. She chose film music for her programs, with choreography by Sandra Bezic. The American news often highlighted the "Kwan–Lipinski rivalry."

At the 1997 Skate America, Kwan beat Tara for the first time in three competitions. Tara came in second place. Tara also placed second at Trophée Lalique.

Tara won the 1997–98 Champions Series Final. She skated her first perfect program of the season. Kwan did not compete due to injuries. Tara and her coach were concerned about what they felt was unfair judging. Judges gave Tara lower technical marks for her Lutz jump. They said she was taking off from the inside edge of her blade, which is called a "flutz." Tara and her coach disagreed, saying she had performed the jump the same way when she won Worlds and U.S. Nationals.

At the 1998 U.S. Championships, Tara came in second behind Kwan. In her short program, Tara fell on a triple flip. She called this the "lowest point" of her career. She recovered in her free skate, climbing from fourth to second place overall. She performed seven triple jumps, including her triple loop-triple loop and a difficult triple toe loop-half loop-triple Salchow combination.

Winning Olympic Gold

U.S. Figure Skating chose Kwan, Lipinski, and Nicole Bobek for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Tara and Kwan were both favorites to win the gold medal.

In the women's event, Kwan won the short program. Tara came in second. Tara's short program was technically harder than Kwan's. Her free skate was the most difficult program in Olympic history at that time. It included her triple loop-triple loop combination and seven triple jumps. Kwan's free skate was almost perfect, with one small mistake. Tara's performance was described as "luminous—fast and light and joyful." She "soared and spun with abandon, filling the [rink] with her joy."

Tara's jumps were not as big as Kwan's, but her landings were clean. Her spins were faster than Kwan's. Tara received higher technical marks than Kwan. She earned six out of nine first-place marks from the judges. Because the free skate was weighted more heavily, Tara won the gold medal.

Tara Lipinski became the youngest Olympic gold medalist in figure skating history. She was the sixth American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in figure skating. Kwan finished second, and Chinese skater Lu Chen won the bronze. Tara was two months younger than Sonja Henie when she won in 1928, breaking a 70-year-old record.

Tara Lipinski's Professional Career

Tara Lipinski in December 1998

In March 1998, Tara decided not to compete in the 1998 World Figure Skating Championships. She had a serious infection and was very tired. In April, Tara announced she would become a professional skater. This meant she could no longer compete in the Olympics. She wanted to end her family's separation caused by her skating career. She also wanted to focus on other goals, like going to college.

After the Olympics, Tara toured with "Champions on Ice." She visited 90 cities in the U.S. In August 1998, she joined "Stars on Ice" to improve her artistic skills. She also wrote two books: Totally Tara – An Olympic Journey and Tara Lipinski: Triumph on Ice.

In 1999, Tara performed with "Stars on Ice" for a second season. She also competed in the "Grand Slam of Figure Skating." She became a spokesperson for Boys and Girls Clubs of America and an anti-drug advocate. She appeared on TV shows like The Young and the Restless and shows for Fox Family Network and Nickelodeon. She also became the youngest skater to win the World Professional Figure Skating Championships. She landed a triple flip, a triple toe loop, and a triple Salchow jump.

In 2000, at age 18, Tara had hip surgery. She had a torn labrum in her hip, which had been misdiagnosed for years. The surgery helped her career. She became a spokesperson to raise awareness about deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a possible side effect of surgery. She was back on the ice seven days later for light practice. She toured with "Stars on Ice" in 2002, visiting 61 U.S. cities, then retired from skating.

Tara Lipinski's Skating Style

Tara Lipinski was inspired by skaters like Kristi Yamaguchi and Scott Hamilton. Her skating style was often compared to Michelle Kwan's. Tara was known as "the consistent Energizer bunny of a jumper." Her coach said her style was "wonderful" and that she was "turning easy, jumping easy."

Some critics felt that judges focused too much on Tara's jumps and not enough on the artistic side of her skating. Her jumps, though sometimes small, were debated in the news. Her early programs showed her youth and femininity. By the 1998 Olympics, her programs focused on showing more "maturity."

Tara's difficult jumps helped push the sport forward. Her spins were so fast that she seemed to disappear. In 1997, she was praised for her "musicality and poise that are far beyond her years." In 2018, the president of U.S. Figure Skating said Tara increased the difficulty level of Olympic skating.

Tara Lipinski's Broadcasting Career

After retiring from skating, Tara traveled and worked in different areas. She tried acting but decided it "just wasn't my thing." In 2009, she wanted to feel the excitement of skating again. She contacted Ice Network, a streaming service, and offered to commentate. She started working for Universal Sports in 2010 and for NBC and NBC Sports in 2011. She commented on most international figure skating competitions.

At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Tara teamed up with sports commentator Terry Gannon and her friend Johnny Weir. They became NBC's second team of figure skating commentators. They quickly realized they had "instant chemistry." They suggested to NBC that all three of them commentate together. The trio became very popular. After the Olympics, they were promoted to be NBC's main figure skating commentators. Tara, Johnny, and Terry were analysts at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Commentating during prime time at the Olympics was a dream for Tara. The trio also hosted the closing ceremonies of the 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024 Olympic Games.

Access Hollywood hired Tara and Johnny in 2014 to analyze fashion at the 86th Academy Awards. Tara also worked as a social media, lifestyle, and fashion correspondent for NBC Sports. This included events like the Beverly Hills Dog Show, the National Dog Show, and the Kentucky Derby. She also covered pre-game events for the Super Bowl.

Tara approaches broadcasting with the same passion she had for skating. She spends many hours researching skaters. She learned how to commentate by listening to tapes of Scott Hamilton's past broadcasts. She calls her broadcasting career her "second dream." Viewers have mixed feelings about Tara and Johnny. Some call them "Olympic darlings" who offer "knowledge, sass and brass." Others find them "mean, obnoxious, and distracting." Scott Hamilton, whom they replaced at NBC, called them a "phenomenon."

Cosmopolitan described Tara and Johnny's style as honest and colorful. They try to make figure skating easy to understand for viewers. They keep technical details to a minimum but highlight the interesting parts of the sport. They were notably quiet during the short program of Russian skater Kamila Valieva at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Valieva was allowed to compete despite failing a drug test. Tara and Johnny chose to simply announce her jumps and then express their opinion that she should not have been allowed to compete. Their style was praised by some and criticized by Russian media.

In 2018 and 2019, Tara and Johnny hosted shows on Food Network, including Wedding Cake Challenge. In 2022, Tara co-hosted Wedding Talk. Also in 2022, Tara and her husband, Todd Kapostasy, co-produced Meddling: The Olympic Skating Scandal That Shocked the World. This was a four-part documentary series about the skating controversy at the 2002 Winter Olympics. It aired on Peacock. Tara said they created the series for the 20th anniversary of the scandal. They interviewed many people involved in the scandal.

Tara Lipinski's Personal Life

Tara Lipinski is a Catholic. She has been devoted to St. Therese of Lisieux since 1994. Tara believes St. Therese helped her win the Olympics in 1998 and recover from hip surgery in 2000. She wore a medal of St. Therese during the Olympics. She also placed a statue of St. Therese on the boards before every competition. In 2001, Tara created a playroom in St. Therese's honor at a children's hospital in Detroit.

Tara Lipinski married sports producer Todd Kapostasy in June 2017. They met at the 2015 Sports Emmys. Johnny Weir was a bridesman at their wedding. Tara has shared her struggles with infertility on her podcast Tara Lipinski: Unexpecting. In October 2023, the couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, through surrogacy.

In September 2020, Tara shared that she was diagnosed with endometriosis. She had laparoscopic surgery to treat it. Her symptoms were not severe, but the pain got worse over five years before she was diagnosed. She said her surgery was successful and her recovery was mostly pain-free. She thanked dancer and actress Julianne Hough for raising awareness about endometriosis.

Tara Lipinski's Achievements

• Youngest athlete (12 years old) to win a gold medal at the U.S. Olympic Festival (1994)
• First woman to complete a triple loop-triple loop combination jump in competition (1996)
• Youngest woman (14 years old) to win the World Figure Skating Championships (1997)
• Sixth American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in figure skating (1998)
• Youngest skater (16 years old) to win the World Professional Figure Skating Championships (1999)
• Youngest person inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame (2013)

Figure Skating Programs

Competition and exhibition programs by season 

Season	Short program	Free skate program	Exhibition program
1994–95	Cirque du Soleil	Samson and Delilah Composed by Camille Saint-Saens	N/A
1995–96	On the Town Composed by Leonard Bernstein	Medley: Speed Composed by Mark Mancina The Prince of Tides Composed by James Newton Howard	On the Town
			Medley: Speed The Prince of Tides
1996–97	Little Women Composed by Thomas Newman Choreo. by Sandra Bezic	Much Ado About Nothing Composed by Patrick Doyle	"Walking on Sunshine" Performed by Katrina and the Waves
1997–98	Anastasia Composed by David Newman Performed by Liz Callaway Choreo. by Sandra Bezic 'Tracks used' "Once Upon a December" "Journey to the Past"	Medley: "Prelude and Opening" From The Rainbow Composed by Carl Davis "Scenes of Summer: Festival" Composed by Lee Holdridge Performed by the London Symphony Orchestra Choreo. by Sandra Bezic	Anastasia ("Journey to the Past")

Competitive Highlights

Professional Skating Results

Television Appearances

See also

In Spanish: Tara Lipinski para niños