Tonya Harding is an American figure skater, boxer, and race car driver. She was successful in figure skating and even won the United States Championships in the sport in 1991. She was selected to the US Olympic team in 1994, but was disqualified after the scandal. Viewers around the world learned about this after the release of the film "Tonya Against All", which was nominated for an Oscar. And the role of the infamous figure skater Tony Harding was played by Australian actress Margot Robbie.
Biography and career of a promising skater
Tonya Harding was born in Portland, Oregon on November 12, 1970. Her parents were LaVona and Al Harding. Tony had a brother, Chris Davison. The figure skater did not have a relationship with her mother. Tony's father could not work due to health problems, so all classes had to be paid for by his mother, who worked as a waitress. According to the brawler-skater Tony Harding, her mother often drank and beat the girl. They have not communicated for many years. Tony's father took her hunting and instilled an interest in drag racing and cars. Subsequently, knowledge of the basics of mechanics helped Tony to take up auto racing.
From early childhood, the girl was fond of figure skating, she skated at the age of three and at the age of 12 was able to do a triple lutz, which is considered an extremely difficult jump. The girl decided to seriously pursue a sports career and in order to fully devote herself to this, Harding had to leave school.
Tony was an extremely talented and promising figure skater who started competing in prestigious competitions at a young age. In 1986, she finished sixth in the US Figure Skating Championships. In 1987 and 1988 - the fifth place. Then, she won the Skate America Championship in 1989.
In 1991, Harding demonstrated her first triple axel. Thanks to this, she won the US Championship and received the highest score that a jury has ever given to a woman for her technique. This rating was 6.0.
Since 1992, Harding has been plagued by a series of setbacks. At the 1992 Winter Olympics, she finished fourth. In 1993, at the Skate America competition, she had to stop the program due to problems with skates. And in 1994, Harding did not appear on the ice for a long time when her name was called because she was trying to replace a broken boot. In addition to this streak of setbacks, Harding rose to prominence after attacking rival Nancy Kerrigan while training ahead of the US Figure Skating Championships in Detroit.
Harding's ex-husband hired Shane Stent to break Nancy Kerrigan's leg. However, the competitor was not eliminated, Stent only slightly injured the skater's leg, and she recovered very quickly. Subsequently, Tony Harding took 8th place, and Nancy Kerrigan won a silver medal at the Olympics. Although Harding pleaded guilty to aiding the cover-up of this crime, she continues to deny her involvement to this day. After losing the competition, Harding was awaiting trial. She was given three years probation and 500 hours of community service for her involvement in the conspiracy against Kerrigan. But the worst thing that could happen in the life of a skater is that she was banned from taking part in official competitions.
In 1994, after the Olympic Games, Harding ended her ice skating career. She started having alcohol problems and depression. Overcoming this state, Tony Harding continued her career in boxing, participated in auto racing, then was a commentator on various television programs and performed in figure skating shows.
Personal life
When she was nineteen years old, Tony Harding married Jeff Gollowley. This marriage did not last long, and she divorced him three years later, but for some time they continued to live together.
Tony subsequently married Joseph Price. The couple had a son, who is now being raised by the former figure skater.
