24 Facts About Kristi Yamaguchi

1.

In ladies' singles, Yamaguchi is the 1992 Olympic champion, a two-time World champion, and the 1992 U S champion.

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2.

In 2008, Kristi Yamaguchi became the celebrity champion in the sixth season of Dancing with the Stars.

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3.

Kristi Yamaguchi's grandparents were sent to an internment camp during World War II, where her mother was born.

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4.

Kristi Yamaguchi began skating and taking ballet lessons, as a child, as physical therapy for her club feet.

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5.

Two years later, Kristi Yamaguchi won the singles and, with Galindo, the pairs titles at the 1988 World Junior Championships; Galindo had won the 1987 World Junior Championship in singles.

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6.

Kristi Yamaguchi won her first major international gold medal in figure skating at the 1990 Goodwill Games.

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7.

In 1991, Kristi Yamaguchi moved to Edmonton, Alberta, to train with coach Christy Ness.

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8.

That year, the American ladies team, consisting of Kristi Yamaguchi, Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, became the only national ladies team to have its members sweep the Worlds podium until the 2021 World Figure Skating Championships, when Anna Shcherbakova, Elizaveta Tuktamysheva and Alexandra Trusova swept the podium representing FSR.

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9.

In 1992, Yamaguchi won her first U S title and gained a spot to the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France.

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10.

Kristi Yamaguchi's later explained her mindset during the long program: “You just do your best and forget the rest.

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11.

Kristi Yamaguchi's toured for many years with Stars on Ice and participated in the pro competition circuit.

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12.

Kristi Yamaguchi's has appeared as herself on Everybody Loves Raymond and in D2: The Mighty Ducks, Frosted Pink, and the Disney Channel original movie Go Figure.

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13.

Kristi Yamaguchi has performed in numerous television skating specials, including the Disney special Aladdin on Ice, in which she played Princess Jasmine.

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14.

In 2006, Kristi Yamaguchi was the host of WE tv series Skating's Next Star, created and produced by Major League Figure Skating.

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15.

Kristi Yamaguchi was a local commentator on figure skating for San Jose TV station KNTV during the 2006 Winter Olympics.

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16.

Kristi Yamaguchi made a special appearance in the finale of the sixteenth season where she danced alongside Dorothy Hamill.

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17.

In 2010, Kristi Yamaguchi worked as a daily NBC Olympics skating broadcast analyst on NBC's Universal Sports Network.

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18.

In early 2012, Kristi Yamaguchi created a woman's active wear line focused on function, comfort, and style to empower women to look good and feel good.

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19.

In November 2017, Kristi Yamaguchi returned to Dancing With the Stars' 25th season in Week eight, to participate in a trio Jazz with Lindsey Stirling and her professional partner Mark Ballas.

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20.

Kristi Yamaguchi is the author of Always Dream, Pure Gold, and Figure Skating for Dummies.

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21.

Kristi Yamaguchi received the Inspiration Award at the 2008 Asian Excellence Awards.

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22.

Kristi Yamaguchi's is a member of the U S Olympic Committee Olympic Hall of Fame, World Skating Hall of Fame, and the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

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23.

In 1996, Kristi Yamaguchi established the Always Dream Foundation for children.

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24.

In 2012, Kristi Yamaguchi appeared in a campaign advertisement for presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

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