Tonya Harding Biography

Quick Facts

NAME: Tonya Harding
OCCUPATION: Ice Skater
BIRTH DATE: November 12, 1970 (Age: 42)
PLACE OF BIRTH: Portland, Oregon
Full Name: Tonya Maxine Harding
ZODIAC SIGN: Scorpio

Best Known For

Tonya Harding is a disgraced figure skater who ruined her future in th sport when she was implicated with clubbing fellow competitor Nancy Kerrigan.

Quiz

Think you know about Biography?

Answer questions and see how you rank against other players.

Play Now

Print Cite This

Tonya Harding

APA Style

Tonya Harding. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 01:35, May 22, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/tonya-harding-9542583.

Harvard Style

Tonya Harding. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/tonya-harding-9542583 [Accessed 22 May 2013].

MLA Style

"Tonya Harding." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 22 2013, 01:35 http://www.biography.com/people/tonya-harding-9542583.

MHRA Style

"Tonya Harding," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/tonya-harding-9542583 [accessed May 22, 2013].

Chicago Style

"Tonya Harding," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/tonya-harding-9542583 (accessed May 22, 2013).

CBE/CSE Style

Tonya Harding [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 22] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/tonya-harding-9542583.

Bluebook Style

Tonya Harding, http://www.biography.com/people/tonya-harding-9542583 (last visited May 22, 2013).

AMA Style

Tonya Harding. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/tonya-harding-9542583. Accessed May 22, 2013.

Synopsis

In 1991, Tonya Harding won her first national title and became the first woman to complete a triple axle in competition. In 1994, she earned notoriety when she was involved in the knee clubbing of fellow competitor Nancy Kerrigan during Olympic trials. Harding pleaded guilty to hindering the investigation into Kerrigan's attack and was banned from competing in the U.S. for life.

Profile

Figure skater, boxer. Born Tonya Maxine Harding in Portland, Oregon on November 12, 1970. The daughter of LaVona and Al Harding, Tonya began skating at age three and dropped out of high school during her sophomore year to pursue the sport.

In 1991, Harding won her first National title and became the first woman to complete a triple axle in competition. She went on to receive a silver at the World championships, fourth at the Olympics and her second National title. However, in 1994, the young skater earned notoriety of a different sort when she was involved in the knee clubbing of fellow competitor Nancy Kerrigan during the Olympic trials. Harding plead guilty to hindering the investigation into Kerrigan's attack, allowing her to avoid jail time. Under the plea bargain Harding was stripped of her title and banned from competing in the U.S. for life.

Since 1994, Harding has sought the spotlight in other ways, including guest appearances on Rosanne, Larry King Live and The Weakest Link. She has also participated in televised celebrity boxing matches against such opponents as Paula Jones in 2002.

Harding was married to Jeff Gillooly, who plead guilty to helping plan the Kerrigan attack, from 1990 to 1993. She was married to Michael Smith from 1995 to 1996.