Tessa Virtue facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tessa VirtueCM, OLY |
|
|---|---|
Virtue at the 2018 Winter Olympics
|
|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Tessa Jane McCormick Virtue |
| Country represented |  Canada |
| Born | May 17, 1989 London, Ontario, Canada |
| Height | 1.65 m |
| Partner | Scott Moir |
| Began skating | 1994 |
| Retired | September 17, 2019 |
Tessa Jane McCormick Virtue (born May 17, 1989) is a Canadian retired ice dancer. She is famous for her amazing partnership with Scott Moir. Together, they became one of the most successful ice dance teams in history. They won three Olympic gold medals and two silver medals, making them the most decorated Olympic figure skaters of all time. They also won three World Championships and many other major competitions. Tessa and Scott are known for their beautiful and passionate performances on the ice.
Contents
Who is Tessa Virtue?
Tessa Virtue is a Canadian figure skater who became a global superstar in ice dancing. With her partner Scott Moir, she achieved incredible success. They are celebrated for their artistic performances and strong connection. Their journey from childhood friends to Olympic champions is truly inspiring.
Early Life and Skating Journey
Tessa Virtue was born on May 17, 1989, in London, Ontario, Canada. She is the youngest of four children. Tessa started skating when she was six years old. She was inspired after a school trip to an ice arena. When she was nine, she chose to focus on skating instead of joining the National Ballet School. This showed her dedication to the sport early on. Besides skating, Tessa also enjoyed gymnastics and other sports as a child. She later studied psychology at the University of Windsor. She completed her degree at the University of Western Ontario. In 2023, she earned a Master's degree in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.
Tessa Virtue is married to Morgan Rielly, a hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs. They met through a mutual friend and got married in 2023. In August 2024, Tessa and Morgan welcomed their first child, a son.
Partnering with Scott Moir
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir first became ice dance partners in 1997. Tessa was seven years old and Scott was nine. Their partnership quickly grew, and by 2007, they were Canada's top ice dance team. They achieved great success even as juniors, winning the World Junior Championship in 2006. Their unique style and strong connection on the ice made them stand out. They were the first ice dance team to receive a perfect 10.0 score for a program component under the new judging system.
Olympic and World Champion
Tessa and Scott made history at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. They became the first North American ice dancers to win an Olympic gold medal. They were also the youngest ice dance team ever to win an Olympic title. They continued their success, winning World Championships in 2010, 2012, and 2017. At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, they earned two silver medals.
After taking a two-season break, they returned for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. There, they won two more gold medals. One was in the individual ice dance event and another in the team event. These victories made them the most decorated Olympic figure skaters ever. They are also the only ice dancers to achieve a "Super Slam." This means they won every major international competition in both their junior and senior careers. After more than twenty years together, Tessa and Scott announced their retirement from competitive skating on September 17, 2019.
Life Beyond Competition
Beyond their amazing competitive career, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir have shared their experiences in other ways. In October 2010, they co-wrote a book called Tessa and Scott: Our Journey from Childhood Dream to Gold. They also had their own TV show, Tessa and Scott, which showed their training for the Olympics in 2014. The show aired on W Network.
They have performed in many ice shows around the world, like Stars on Ice. They even produced their own successful tours, "The Thank You Canada Tour" in 2018 and "Rock the Rink" in 2019. Tessa has also collaborated with companies to design jewelry and glasses collections. She has been individually sponsored by companies like Adidas, Nivea, Colgate, and MAC Cosmetics.
Awards and Special Recognition
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir have received many awards for their incredible achievements. In 2010, they were inducted into the London (ON) Sports Hall of Fame. The CBC named them Canadian Olympic athletes of the year in 2017. They were also honored with the Partnership of the Year award in 2018.
In December 2018, they were inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in the Sports and Athletics category. The University of Western Ontario awarded them honorary Doctor of Laws degrees in 2019. In 2020, Tessa and Scott were named Members of the Order of Canada, one of the country's highest honors. In 2023, they were inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, receiving the Order of Sport.
See also
In Spanish: Tessa Virtue para niños
