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Brian Boitano
Figure Skating

Brian

Boitano

Olympian 1984, 1988, 1994

  • 1

    GOLD

  • 0

    SILVER

  • 0

    BRONZE

Athlete Bio#

Brian Boitano

Age

61

Hometown

Sunnyvale, CA

Education

Peterson High School (Santa Clara, Calif.), Santa Clara High School (Santa Clara, Calif.) De Anza College

Quick Facts
  • Son of Donna and Lew Boitano
  • Played Little League baseball and roller skated growing up, but began skating at 8 years old after watching an Ice Follies performance
  • Took group lessons with a local coach, Linda Leaver, who remained his only coach throughout his career
  • Was known for his athleticism and jumping power
  • One of only two Americans who won gold medals at the Olympic Winter Games Calgary 1988, along with speed skater Bonnie Blair
  • Skated on an Alaskan glacier for a television special “Canvas of Ice” in 1988
  • Founded White Canvas Productions in 1995 to create skating shows
  • Released an autobiography entitled “Boitano’s Edge
  • Inside the Real World of Figure Skating”
  • Had a character on the animated series “South Park” based on him
  • Founded Youth Skate, a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco
  • Appeared in the miniseries “The Brian Boitano Project” in 2014.
Olympic Experience
  • 3-time Olympian; 1-time Olympic medalist (1 gold)
    • Olympic Games Lillehammer 1994, 6th (Singles - Men)
    • Olympic Games Calgary 1988, gold (Singles - Men)
    • Olympic Games Sarajevo 1984, 5th (Singles - Men)
World Championships Experience
  • Most recent: 1988 – gold (Singles - Men)
  • Years of participation: Singles - Men 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988
  • Medals: 4 (2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze)
    • Gold – 1988 (Singles - Men); 1986 (Singles - Men)
    • Silver – 1987 (Singles - Men)
    • Bronze – 1985 (Singles - Men)

Athlete News#

Hall Of Fame Bio #

Brian Boitano is a three-time Olympian and Olympic gold medalist in figure skating. Born in Mountain View, California, Boitano first broke out on the international scene when he won the bronze medal at the 1978 World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Four years later, he became the first American to land a triple axel. Known for pushing the technical envelope of men’s skating, Boitano developed a signature jump, the “Tano Triple,” that no other competitor could perform against him. After placing fifth at the Olympic Games Sarajevo 1984, Boitano won the U.S. championship from 1985-88, complemented by his world championships in 1986 and 1988. Entering the Olympic Winter Games Calgary 1988, Boitano was one of two favorites to win gold. After a nearly flawless free skate, Boitano won the gold medal in a 5-4 split against longtime rival Brian Orser, wearing skates with American flag appliques that now reside at the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian. Boitano turned professional following the Games, winning 10 straight competitions, including five world professional championship titles. He has since had his own cooking television show and appeared in multiple other television shows and films.


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