Tonya Harding was a household name in the ‘90s, and she is back in the spotlight after the release of I, Tonya. The movie is based on the highly controversial interviews and stories surrounding the attack on Tonya’s fellow Team USA Olympic figure skater, Nancy Kerrigan. The movie was a big hit with critic websites like Rotten Tomatoes, and it’s all thanks to a stellar cast and unbelievably true events.

Tonya Harding was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, with a mostly absent father and abusive mother. Tonya started training with renowned coach Diane Rawlinson at four years old and took to skating like a fish to water. Skating consumed Tonya’s life, and she eventually dropped out of high school her sophomore year. It paid off, because Tonya was the first American woman to complete a triple axel in competition in 1991. While she was still in high school, Tonya met Jeff Gillooly, whom she married in 1990 and divorced in 1993. Their marriage was rocky to say the least, and the two restraining orders Tonya had filed speak volumes to Jeff’s abusive nature.

Tonya does not fit the typical idea of a figure skater, especially when compared to Nancy Kerrigan. Tonya drove a truck, smoked, wore handmade outfits and had a loud skating style. Nancy was the picture of grace and never had a hair out of place. She skated to pretty classical music in pure white designer outfits. The two polar opposites competed against each other in many events over the years and were a month out from the 1994 Winter Olympics when what has been termed “the incident” occurred.

This is where Jeff Gillooly earns his notoriety as a villain of figure skating. Jeff and Tonya’s bodyguard, Shawn Eckhardt, planned an attack on Nancy at the rink where she practiced. The supposed goal was to open the door for Tonya to medal at the Winter Olympics, but it didn’t go quite as planned. Hitman Shane Stant was hired for the job and used a collapsible baton to hit Nancy’s leg.

The injury took Nancy out of the running for the US Women’s Championship, which Tonya won, but she recovered in time to compete in the Olympics. The 1994 women’s Olympic figure skating event was a media storm surrounded by drama. Tonya Harding was late appearing on the ice because of a broken skate lace and stopped mid-performance to appeal to the judges. They allotted her time to fix the lace and restart her routine, but it did not result in beneficial scores. Nancy’s turn on the ice had much better feedback from the judges and earned her a silver medal. Meanwhile, Tonya finished in a disappointing eighth.

After the case picked up speed, Jeff Gillooly pleaded guilty to the FBI. Tonya’s trial was postponed until after the Olympics. Tonya claims that she had no idea Jeff and Shawn were planning the assault on Nancy, but pled guilty to hindering the prosecution of Jeff, Shawn and Shane as well as the getaway driver, Derrick Smith. While the men served two years in jail, Tonya was sentenced three years of probation, 500 hours of community service, was banned from skating in all USFSA events and was fined $160,000.

There is still debate over whether or not Tonya was in on the planning, but she claims to this day that it was Jeff’s ploy to ruin her figure skating career.

While Nancy is most commonly seen as the innocent victim in the whole debacle, she was highly scrutinized for her behavior during the medal ceremony and her Olympic appearances at Disney World. Riding on a float with Mickey Mouse, she tells the character:

“This is so corny. This is so dumb. I hate it. This is the most corny thing I’ve ever done,” said Nancy.

Practically no one comes out looking like a complete saint in this highly publicized story, but there is more to Tonya and Nancy’s stories than “the incident.” Tonya left a legacy of skating with her triple axel and unconventional style, and Nancy is raising awareness for miscarriages and eating disorders in sports.

In this year’s winter Olympics, Mirai Nagasu became the first American woman to land a triple axel in the Olympic competition and joins Tonya on the list of the eight women who have accomplished it. Whether you believe in Tonya Harding’s innocence, or see her as an evil backwoods ice queen, you can’t help but watch this train wreck unfold.

Sources:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/people-kerrigan- tarnishes-her- silver-image-1426878.html
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/i-tonya- inside-real- tonya-harding- nancy-kerrigan-story-w513363