Kristi Yamaguchi

Kristine Tsuya Yamaguchi (born July 12, 1971) is an American former figure skater. In ladies' singles, Yamaguchi is the 1992 Olympic champion, a two-time World champion (1991 and 1992), and the 1992 U.S. champion. As a pairs skater with Rudy Galindo, she is the 1988 World Junior champion and a two-time national champion (1989 and 1990). In December 2005, she was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. In 2008, Yamaguchi became the celebrity champion in the sixth season of Dancing with the Stars.

Kristi Yamaguchi
Kristi Yamaguchi in 1996
Personal information
Full nameKristine Tsuya Yamaguchi[1]
Country represented United States
Born (1971-07-12) July 12, 1971
Hayward, California, U.S.
Height4 ft 11.5 in (151 cm)[2][3]
Former partnerRudy Galindo
Former coachChristy Ness
Former choreographerSandra Bezic
Skating clubSt. Moritz ISC
Retired1992
Medal record
Representing the  United States
Ladies' figure skating
Olympic Games
1992 AlbertvilleLadies' singles
World Championships
1991 MunichLadies' singles
1992 OaklandLadies' singles
World Junior Championships
1988 Brisbane Ladies' singles
Pairs' figure skating
World Junior Championships
1988 Brisbane Pairs
1987 Kitchener Pairs

Early life

Yamaguchi was born on July 12, 1971,[4] in Hayward, California,[5] to Jim Yamaguchi, a dentist, and Carole (née Doi), a medical secretary. Yamaguchi is Sansei (a third-generation descendant of Japanese emigrants).[6] Her paternal grandparents and maternal great-grandparents emigrated to the United States from Japan, originating from Wakayama Prefecture and Saga Prefecture.[7][8] Yamaguchi's grandparents were sent to an internment camp during World War II, where her mother was born. Her maternal grandfather, George A. Doi, was in the U.S. Army and fought in Germany and France during World War II during the time his family was interned at the Heart Mountain and Amache camps.[9] Research done in 2010 by Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. for the PBS series Faces of America showed that Yamaguchi's heritage can be traced back to Wakayama and Saga prefectures in Japan and that her paternal grandfather, Tatsuichi Yamaguchi, emigrated to Hawaii in 1899.[10]

Yamaguchi and her siblings, Brett and Lori, grew up in Fremont, California. In order to accommodate her training schedule, Yamaguchi was home-schooled for her first two years of high school, but attended Mission San Jose High School for her junior and senior years, where she graduated.[11]

Skating career
Kristi Yamaguchi at The Heart Truth fashion show in 2009.

Yamaguchi began skating and taking ballet lessons, as a child, as physical therapy for her club feet.[12]

Pairs career

With Rudy Galindo she won the junior title at the U.S. championships in 1986.[2] Two years later, 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. In 1989 Yamaguchi and Galindo won the senior pairs title at the U.S. Championships. They won the title again in 1990.

As a pairs team, Yamaguchi and Galindo were unusual in that they were both accomplished singles skaters, which allowed them to consistently perform difficult elements like side by side triple flip jumps, which are still more difficult than side by side jumps performed by current top international pairs teams. They also jumped and spun in opposite directions, Yamaguchi counter-clockwise, and Galindo clockwise, which gave them an unusual look on the ice. In 1990, Yamaguchi decided to focus solely on singles. Galindo went on to have a successful singles career as well, winning the 1996 U.S. championships and the 1996 World bronze medal.

Singles career

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

In 1991, Yamaguchi moved to Edmonton, Alberta, to train with coach Christy Ness. There, she took psychology courses at the University of Alberta.[13] The same year Yamaguchi placed second to Tonya Harding at the U.S. championships, her third consecutive silver medal at Nationals. The following month in Munich, Germany, Yamaguchi won the 1991 World Championships. That year, the American ladies team, consisting of Yamaguchi, Harding and Nancy Kerrigan, became the only national ladies team to have its members sweep the Worlds podium. In 1992, Yamaguchi won her first U.S. title and gained a spot to the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. Joining her on the U.S. team were again Kerrigan and Harding. While competitors Harding and Japan’s Midori Ito were consistently landing the difficult triple Axel jump in competition, Yamaguchi instead focused on her artistry and her triple-triple combinations in hopes of becoming a more well-rounded skater. Both Harding and Ito fell on their triple Axels at the Olympics (though Ito successfully landed the jump later on in her long program after missing the first time), allowing Yamaguchi to win the gold, despite errors in her free program, including putting a hand to the ice on a triple loop and a double salchow instead of a planned triple. She later explained her mindset during the long program: “You just do your best and forget the rest." Yamaguchi went on to successfully defend her World title that same year.

Professional career

Yamaguchi turned professional after the 1991–92 competitive season.[14] She toured for many years with Stars on Ice and also participated in the pro competition circuit.

In 1996, Yamaguchi established the Always Dream Foundation for children. The goal of the foundation is to provide funding for after school programs, computers, back-to-school clothes for underprivileged children, and summer camps for kids with disabilities. Commenting in 2009, she explained her inspiration for the project: "I was inspired by the Make-A-Wish foundation to make a positive difference in children’s lives. We’ve been helping out various children’s organizations, which is rewarding. Our latest project is a playground designed so that kids of all abilities can play side by side. That’s our focus now."[15]

Currently her Always Dream Foundation is focused on early childhood literacy with a statement of "Empowering Children to reach their dreams through education and inspiration." ADF has partnered with "Raising a Reader" to launch a reading program in schools throughout California and eventually nationwide. The foundation is also providing a language arts program "Footsteps to Brilliance" to kindergarten and first grade. Both programs integrate innovative technology into the classrooms.[16]

Yamaguchi is the author of Always Dream, Pure Gold, and Figure Skating for Dummies. In 2011, she published an award-winning children's book, Dream Big, Little Pig,[17] which was #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, and received the Gelett Burgess Children's Book Award; a portion of the proceeds went to the Always Dream Foundation to support early childhood literacy programs.[18] A sequel, It's a Big World Little Pig,[19] was scheduled to be published March 6, 2012.[20]

Yamaguchi made a fitness video with the California Raisins in 1993 called "Hip to be Fit: The California Raisins and Kristi Yamaguchi". She has appeared as herself on Everybody Loves Raymond and in D2: The Mighty Ducks, Frosted Pink, and the Disney Channel original movie Go Figure. Yamaguchi has also performed in numerous television skating specials, including the Disney special Aladdin on Ice, in which she played Princess Jasmine.

In 2006 Yamaguchi was the host of WE tv series Skating's Next Star, created and produced by Major League Figure Skating. Yamaguchi was a local commentator on figure skating for San Jose TV station KNTV (NBC 11) during the 2006 Winter Olympics.[21]

On May 20, 2008, Yamaguchi became the champion[22] of the sixth season of ABC's reality program Dancing with the Stars, in which she was paired with Mark Ballas, defeating finalist couple Jason Taylor and Edyta Śliwińska. Yamaguchi made a special appearance in the finale of the sixteenth season where she danced alongside Dorothy Hamill.

Yamaguchi received the Inspiration Award at the 2008 Asian Excellence Awards. Two days after her Dancing with the Stars champion crowning, she received the 2008 Sonja Henie Award from the Professional Skaters Association. Among her other awards are the Thurman Munson Award, Women's Sports Foundation Flo Hyman Award,the Heisman Humanitarian Award,[23] and the Great Sports Legends Award. She is also 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.[24][25]

In 2010, Yamaguchi worked as a daily NBC Olympics skating broadcast analyst on NBC's Universal Sports Network. During the 2010 Winter Olympics, Kristi was also a special correspondent for the Today Show.[16]

In early 2012, Yamaguchi created a woman's active wear line focused on function, comfort, and style to empower women to look good and feel good. The lifestyle brand is called Tsu.ya by Kristi Yamaguchi. Tsu.ya donates a portion of its proceeds to support early childhood literacy through Yamaguchi's Always Dream Foundation.[26]

In November 2017, Yamaguchi returned to Dancing With the Stars' 25th season in Week eight,[27] to participate in a trio Jazz with Lindsey Stirling and her professional partner Mark Ballas.[28]

Personal life

On July 8, 2000, she married Bret Hedican, a professional hockey player she met at the 1992 Winter Olympics when he played for Team USA. After their wedding, Yamaguchi and Hedican resided in Raleigh, North Carolina where Hedican played for the Carolina Hurricanes NHL team and won his only Stanley Cup in 2006. He played for one year with the Anaheim Ducks and they now live in Alamo, California[29] in Northern California with their two daughters, Keara Kiyomi (born 2003) and Emma Yoshiko (born 2005).[30] In 2011, she authored a children's book, Dream Big, Little Pig!, with illustrator Tim Bowers.[31]

Competitive highlights
Kristi Yamaguchi’s figure skates at the Museum of American History

Singles
International
Event 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92
Winter Olympics1st
World Championships6th4th1st1st
Skate Canada1st
Skate America3rd1st2nd
Nations Cup1st
International de Paris2nd
NHK Trophy2nd2nd
Goodwill Games1st
International: Junior
World Junior Champ.1st
National
U.S. Championships2nd J.10th2nd2nd2nd1st

Professional
Professional
Event 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02
Ice Wars1st1st1st
The Gold Championships1st1st1st
World Professional Figure Skating Championships1st2nd1st2nd1st1st2nd

Pairs

(with Rudy Galindo)

International
Event 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90
World Champ.5th5th
Skate America5th2nd
NHK Trophy3rd4th
Skate Electric Challenge1st
International: Junior
World Junior Champ.5th3rd1st
National
U.S. Champ.5th J.1st J.5th5th1st1st
J. = Junior level

Filmography
YearTitleRoleNotes
1994You Must Remember ThisHerself / Madame X
1995Aladdin on IceJasmine
1998The Great Skate Debate IISkater
1994D2: The Mighty DucksHerself (Cameo)
1997Everybody Loves RaymondHerself (Cameo)Episode: (Episode 19, The Dog)[32]
2001On EdgeRegionals Judge #4
2003Freedom: A History of UsHaruko ObataEpisode: "Depression and War"
2005Go FigureHerself (Cameo)
2012Pandora Unforgettable Holiday Moments on IceHerself - Host
2013Hell's KitchenHerself (Dining room guest)Episode: "17 Chefs Compete"
2018Fresh Off the BoatHerself / First Lady Kristi Yamaguchi-HuangEpisode: "King in the North"

Selected books
  • Yamaguchi, Kristi. Figure Skating for Dummies, Foster City, CA : IDG Books, 1997. ISBN 0-7645-5084-5
  • Yamaguchi, Kristi. Pure Gold, Harcourt School, 1997. ISBN 978-0-15-307551-3
  • Yamaguchi, Kristi. Always Dream, Dallas : Taylor Pub. Co., 1998. ISBN 0-87833-996-5
  • Yamaguchi, Kristi. Dream Big Little Pig, New York, NY : Scholastic Inc, 2011. ISBN 978-0-545-44969-4

Notes
  1. "Kristi Yamaguchi". Biography. A&E Television Networks, LLC. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  2. "Kristi Yamaguchi". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  3. Creef, Elena Tajima (2004). Imaging Japanese America: The Visual Construction of Citizenship, Nation, and the Body. USA: New York University Press. pp. 159–160. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  4. "Kristi Yamaguchi". olympic.org. International Olympic Committee. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  5. "Kristi Yamaguchi: First Asian American Woman to Bring Home the Gold". "Sports: Breaking Records, Breaking Barriers", National Museum of Natural History. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  6. Nomura, Gail M. (1998). "Japanese American Women," in The Reader's Companion to U.S. Women's History (Mankiller, Barbara Smith, ed.), pp. 288–290., p. 288, at Google Books.
  7. Edited by Richard Demak (March 23, 1992). "Scorecard : Sports Illustrated vault". Vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Retrieved April 23, 2010.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  8. "Kristi Yamaguchi | Faces of America". PBS. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  9. Komai, Chris (May 1, 2015). "Family Members Connect Secretary Mineta, Kristi Yamaguchi To Smithsonian's Congressional Gold Medal Digital Exhibition Broader Military Story" (PDF) (Press release). Torrance, California: National Veterans Network. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  10. "Faces of America: Kristi Yamaguchi". PBS, Faces of America series, with Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., 2010.
  11. Crooks, Peter (May 2010). "Kristi & Company: Olympic champ Kristi Yamaguchi juggles celebrity and philanthropy with her favorite role: being a mom". Diablo Magazine. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  12. Suzanne Riss (February 23, 2010). "'92 Olympian Yamaguchi balances road, family". CNN. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  13. "Off-ice advice: Kristi Yamaguchi relies financially on family, friends". Market Watch. November 12, 2001. Retrieved January 28, 2009.
  14. Hersh, Phil (August 30, 1992). "Urbanski, Marval Melt Ice, Reunite". Chicago Tribune.
  15. "Ability Magazine: Kristi Yamaguchi Interview" (2009)". Retrieved April 3, 2012.
  16. Interview with Kristi
  17. Yamaguchi, Kristi (2011). Dream Big, Little Pig. Illustrated by Tim Bowers. Sourcebooks Jabberwocky. ISBN 978-1-4022-5275-4. OCLC 662405424.
  18. Wengen, Deidre (March 29, 2011). "Figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi turns best-selling children's author". phillyburbs.com. Archived from the original on April 1, 2011. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  19. Yamaguchi, Kristi (2012). It's a Big World, Little Pig. Illustrated by Tim Bowers. Sourcebooks Jabberwocky. ISBN 978-1-4022-6644-7. OCLC 747529286.
  20. "It's a Big World, Little Pig!". amazon.com. Retrieved January 30, 2010.
  21. "Jan. 25, 2006: Bay Area Gold Medalist Kristi Yamaguchi Joins NBC11's Olympic Broadcast Team". Nbc11.com. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  22. "Kristi Yamaguchi Wins Dancing with the Stars". Pacific Coast News. May 21, 2008.
  23. "Gold Medal Figure Skater Kristi Yamaguchi Selected as 2019 Heisman Humanitarian". www.rafu.com. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  24. Michoces, Gary (December 8, 2008). "Yamaguchi tops Olympic Hall class". USA Today – via Gale Academic OneFile.
  25. Lieser, Ethan (January 20, 2002). "Golden Girl: Ten years after winning the Medal, Kristi Yamaguchi is still celebrating". Asianweek. p. 18 – via Proquest Ethnic Newswatch.
  26. "Our Story: Always Dream Foundation". Tsuya by Kristi Yamaguchi. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  27. Montgomery, Daniel. "'Dancing with the Stars' trio dances will invite back Kelly Monaco, Alfonso Ribeiro, Laurie Hernandez, Corbin Bleu". goldderby.com. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  28. Brozyna, Emily. "'Dancing with the Stars' trio dances will invite back Kelly Monaco, Alfonso Ribeiro, Laurie Hernandez, Corbin Bleu". J-14.com. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  29. Golden Girl. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
  30. Rutherford, Lynn (April 15, 2012). "Kristi Yamaguchi Looks at The Sport". IFS Magazine. Archived from the original on April 18, 2012.
  31. Dream Big, Little Pig!, by Kristi Yamaguchi (Author) and Tim Bowers (Illustrator).
  32. Romano, Ray; Rosenthal, Phil; Caltabiano, Tom; Havrilesky, Heather (2004). Everybody Loves Raymond: Our Family Album. Pocket Books. p. 148. ISBN 9780743496476. OCLC 475680761.

References

Further reading
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Hélio Castroneves & Julianne Hough		 Dancing with the Stars (US) winners
Season 6
(Spring 2008 with Mark Ballas)		 Succeeded by
Brooke Burke and Derek Hough
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