Debi Thomas Biography

Debi Thomas biography

Quick Facts

NAME: Debi Thomas
OCCUPATION: Ice Skater
BIRTH DATE: March 25, 1967 (Age: 45)
EDUCATION: Stanford University, Northwestern University
PLACE OF BIRTH: Poughkeepsie, New York

ZODIAC SIGN: Aries

more about Debi

Best Known For

Debi Thomas was a figure skater who went on to become the first African American to win an Olympic medal at the Winter Olympics.

Print Cite This

Debi Thomas

APA Style

Debi Thomas. (2012). Biography.com. Retrieved 10:59, May 25, 2012 from http://www.biography.com/people/debi-thomas-537712

Harvard Style

Debi Thomas [Internet]. 2012. http://www.biography.com/people/debi-thomas-537712, May 25

MLA Style

" Debi Thomas." 2012. Biography.com 25 May 2012, 10:59 http://www.biography.com/people/debi-thomas-537712

MHRA Style

' Debi Thomas', Biography.com,(2012) http://www.biography.com/people/debi-thomas-537712 [accessed May 25, 2012]

Chicago Style

" Debi Thomas," Biography.com, http://www.biography.com/people/debi-thomas-537712 (accessed May 25, 2012).

CBE/CSE Style

Debi Thomas [Internet]. Biography.com; 2012 [cited 2012 May 25]. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/debi-thomas-537712.

Bluebook Style

Debi Thomas, http://www.biography.com/people/debi-thomas-537712 (last visited May 25, 2012).

AMA Style

Debi Thomas, http://www.biography.com/people/debi-thomas-537712 (last visited May 25, 2012).

Synopsis

In February of 1986, while attended Stanford University, Debi Thomas won the senior women's title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. With the victory, she became the first African-American to win a non-novice title. Thomas competed in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, winning the bronze and becoming the first African American to win a medal in any Winter Olympic sport.

Profile

Athlete, physician. Born March 25, 1967, in Poughkeepsie, New York. Thomas first stepped into the skating rink at the age of five. By the age of nine, she was taking formal lessons and winning competitions. The following year, she signed on with coach Alex McGowan, who guided Thomas's career as she trained for the Olympics.

As an African-American figure skater, the judges often discriminated against Thomas, giving better marks to Thomas's competitors. She persevered, however, and at the age of 12 she advanced to the national novice finals, where she won the silver medal.

In February of 1986, while attended Stanford University, Thomas won the senior women's title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. With the victory, she became the first African-American to win a non-novice title. Thomas also continued to study medicine while she trained, a difficult task that left her exhausted and often too tired to train.

Thomas competed in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, winning the bronze. She became the first African-American to win a medal in any Olympic sport. Thomas earned her bachelor's degree in 1991, and retired from skating the following year to enter the medical program at Northwestern University. She is currently practicing at AP&S Clinic in Terre Haute, Indiana.