1. Torah Jane Bright was born on 27 December 1986 and is an Australian former professional snowboarder.
23 Facts About Torah Bright
1. 2.
Torah Bright is Australia's most successful Winter Olympian, former Olympic gold and silver medalist, two time X Games gold medalist, three time US Open winner, two time Global Open Champion, three time World Superpipe Champion, former TTR World Champion and recipient of the Best Female Action Sports Athlete at the ESPY awards.
3.
In 2014 Bright became the first Olympic athlete to qualify for all three snowboarding disciplines; halfpipe, slopestyle and boarder-cross.
4.
Torah Bright was born in Cooma, New South Wales on 27 December 1986, to parents Peter and Marion Torah Bright; she is the fourth of five siblings.
5.
Torah Bright's parents named her "Torah" after her sister Rowena learned from her Jewish piano teacher that the name referred to the Jewish name for the first five books of the Tanakh and meant "bearer of a great spiritual message" and suggested the name for her new sister.
6.
Torah Bright grew up in Cooma, New South Wales and attended Cooma North Public School at the base of the Snowy Mountains.
7.
Torah Bright's brother, Ben, is a professional snowboarder and was her coach.
8.
Torah Bright placed third in both events, qualifying for the Australian Olympic team.
9.
In 2006, Torah Bright earned a silver medal at the Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado.
10.
Torah Bright returned the following year, winning the gold medal in the women's superpipe event.
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Torah Bright is the first Australian snowboarder to ever win gold at the Winter X Games, beating Winter Olympic medalists Gretchen Bleiler and Hannah Teter.
12.
In 2007, Torah Bright took first at the Nissan X-Trail Nippon Open in the women's halfpipe, giving her back-to-back wins in two consecutive competitions.
13.
At the 2007 World Super Pipe Championships in Park City, Utah, Torah Bright won first place, beating 2002 Olympic gold medalist Kelly Clark.
14.
Torah Bright became the fourth Australian to win a Winter Olympics gold medal.
15.
In 2013 at the Winter X Games XVII in Aspen, Colorado, Torah Bright came in fourth in the superpipe behind medalists Kelly Clark, Elena Hight, and Arielle Gold.
16.
In 2014 at the Winter Olympics at Sochi, having entered an unprecedented triple of slopestyle, halfpipe, and boarder-cross, Torah Bright finished 7th in the inaugural women's slopestyle final and went on to win silver with a score of 91.50 in the women's halfpipe.
17.
Torah Bright was a participant in the fourteenth season of Dancing with the Stars.
18.
Torah Bright rarely entered competition after the 2014 Olympics, and suffered a wrist fracture after returning to competition 2 months before the 2018 Olympics.
19.
Torah Bright officially announced her retirement from competition in January 2020.
20.
Torah Bright has a lifelong sponsorship with Rhythm Snowsports, located in her home town Cooma.
21.
Torah Bright has a head-to-toe sponsorship with Roxy, the female-specific brand of action-sports company Quiksilver.
22.
Torah Bright is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
23.
Torah Bright was married to American pro snowboarder Jake Welch from 2010 to 2013.