Paul Wylie | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Born | Dallas, Texas, United States | October 24, 1964||||||||||||||||||||
Figure skating career | |||||||||||||||||||||
Country | United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
Began skating | age 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Retired | 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
|
Paul Stanton Wylie (born October 28, 1964) is an American figure skater, and the 1992 Olympic silver medalist in men's singles skating.
Wylie was born on October 24, 1964, in Dallas, Texas, to Bob Wylie (a geophysicist) and B.L. Wylie (a realtor) — the youngest of three children. [1] In Dallas, he attended St. Mark's School of Texas. When he was eleven, his family moved to Denver, Colorado, where he focused increasingly on skating and graduated from Colorado Academy. [2]
Wylie attended Harvard University and graduated in 1991 with a degree in government. [3] After competing in the 1992 Winter Olympics, as he planned, he retired from amateur competition and began his professional skating career. It was his intention to tour for a few years and then go to law school. [4] [5] He was admitted to law school, but deferred attendance for a few years. [1] He ended up skating professionally for six years before retiring. He then returned to Harvard — but to the Business School, rather than the Law School. He earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 2000. He then worked for two years in marketing with The Walt Disney Company. [6]
On August 14, 1999, Wylie married Kate Presbrey, a Cape Cod native and former Brown University Division 1 hockey player. [6] They have three children, Hannah, Emma and Caleb. The family divides their time between Hyannis, Massachusetts, and Charlotte, North Carolina, where Wylie previously worked with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association as director of the Dare to be a Daniel program. [7] Wylie currently runs High Gear Travel, a sports-related travel agency, [6] and coaches figure skaters at the Extreme Ice Center in Indian Trail, North Carolina, owned by Tom Logano, father of NASCAR star Joey Logano, whose sister Danielle is also a coach.
Wylie started skating at the age of three. [8] After moving to Denver, he began to train with Carlo Fassi. Wylie remained with Fassi for nine years, first in Denver and later in Colorado Springs when Fassi relocated to the Broadmoor Skating Club. As a young skater, Wylie additionally worked with John Curry and Robin Cousins, who were also students of Fassi. Cousins lived with the Wylie family while he was training for the 1980 Winter Olympics.
In 1979, Wylie won the novice men's title at the U.S. Championships, and in the 1981 season, he won both the U.S. junior title and the World Junior Championships. At the latter event, he landed his first triple jumps in competition—two triple toe loops. [9]
At the same time, Wylie was competing in pair skating with partner Dana Graham. They won the junior pairs title at the 1980 U.S. nationals. They were coached by John Nicks, commuting to work with him in California. They placed eighth in the senior division at the 1981 U.S. nationals, but then dissolved their partnership when they lost financial sponsorship.
In 1985, wanting to rework some of his technique, Wylie left Fassi and began to train instead with Evy and Mary Scotvold, who were at that time located in Janesville, Wisconsin. Shortly afterwards, they all moved to the Boston area.
Wylie placed second at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in 1988, 1990, and 1992. He won the silver medal at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. The medal was considered a major upset, as Wylie had never finished higher than ninth at the World Figure Skating Championships four years prior, and had skated such a poor performance at the 1992 U.S. Championships that reporters questioned his placement on the Olympic team. The USFSA had even left Wylie off the team for the 1992 World Championships, naming Mark Mitchell in his place.
Figure skating writer and historian Ellyn Kestnbaum stated that Wylie's Christian faith influenced his skating, especially his free skating program during the 1991—1992 season, when he used music from the Henry V soundtrack, when he "extended his body fully into space" and "might have been reaching for and supported by an ineffable spirituality". [10] Kestnbaum also stated that Wylie used dramatic and powerful motions in his free skate, with a footwork section that portrayed a swordfight that "epitomized a heroic masculine energy". [10] According to Kestnbaum, Wylie also used more feminine movements, with curved elbows, soft hands, and an Ina Bauer movement. Wylie might have used these movements in order to emphasize his "beautiful extended body lines" [10] and because he moved in harmony with his music. This style, used throughout his skating career, consistently earned him high artistic scores. [10]
After the Olympics, Wylie joined the professional skating ranks. He won the 1992 U.S. Open Professional Championship and the 1993 World Professional Figure Skating Championships. Wylie toured with Stars on Ice from 1992 to 1998 before retiring to attend graduate school and work in the corporate world.
After leaving his job at Disney in 2004, Wylie returned to the ice for 22 dates with Stars on Ice. [6] He has also continued his long association with An Evening with Champions, the annual benefit show at Harvard. Wylie has worked as a sports commentator/analyst, most recently for ESPN and Universal Sports.
Wylie was inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame on January 25, 2008.
While exercising with friends on April 21, 2015, Wylie collapsed and was unresponsive. One of the friends he was training with, Billy Griggs, was certified in CPR and immediately began chest compressions until medical attention arrived on scene. Paramedics administered a defibrillator but were unsuccessful in resuscitating Wylie. After first responders injected his heart with epinephrine, Wylie's heart started again. He was immediately transferred to Charlotte, North Carolina hospital where doctors diagnosed him as having suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. Wylie was put into a medically induced coma and began a treatment known as therapeutic hypothermia in order to cool his brain and body to 90 degrees in order to reduce any possible brain damage. [11]
After two days, Wylie woke up from his coma and was released from the hospital nine days later. He has made a full recovery but continues to wear an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator pacemaker. He had no symptoms of heart disease except for experiencing a few dizzy spells a few days before the incident. Doctors gave Wylie a clean bill of health, saying he had no heart or brain damage.[ citation needed ]
Season | Short program | Free skating | Exhibition |
---|---|---|---|
1991-1992 |
|
|
|
1990-1991 |
|
|
|
1989-1990 |
|
|
|
1988-1989 |
|
|
|
1987-1988 |
|
|
|
1986-1987 |
|
|
|
1985-1986 |
|
|
|
1983-1984 |
|
|
|
1982-1983 |
| ||
1981-1982 |
|
| |
1980-1981 |
|
|
International | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Event | 80–81 | 81–82 | 82–83 | 83–84 | 84–85 | 85–86 | 86–87 | 87–88 | 88–89 | 89–90 | 90–91 | 91–92 |
Olympics | 10th | 2nd | ||||||||||
Worlds | 9th | 10th | 11th | |||||||||
Skate America | 7th | |||||||||||
Skate Canada | 2nd | 3rd | ||||||||||
Inter. de Paris | 1st | 5th | ||||||||||
NHK Trophy | 5th | 2nd | 4th | |||||||||
Nations Cup | 3rd | |||||||||||
St. Ivel | 1st | |||||||||||
International: Junior | ||||||||||||
Junior Worlds | 1st | |||||||||||
National | ||||||||||||
U.S. Champ. | 11th | 5th | 4th | 5th | 5th | 5th | 2nd | 3rd | 2nd | 3rd | 2nd |
Dorothy Stuart Hamill is a retired American figure skater. She is the 1976 Olympic champion and 1976 World champion in ladies' singles.
Richard Totten Button is an American former figure skater and skating analyst. He was a two-time Olympic champion and five-time consecutive World champion (1948–1952). He was also the only non-European man to have become European champion. Button is credited as having been the first skater to successfully land the double Axel jump in competition in 1948, as well as the first triple jump of any kind – a triple loop – in 1952. He also invented the flying camel spin, which was originally known as the "Button camel". He "brought increased athleticism" to figure skating in the years following World War II. According to figure skating historian James R. Hines, Button represented the "American School" of figure skating, which was a more athletic style than skaters from Europe.
Maribel Yerxa Vinson-Owen was an American figure skater and coach. She competed in the disciplines of ladies' singles and pair skating. As a single skater, she was the 1932 Olympic bronze medalist, a two-time World medalist, the 1937 North American champion, and a nine-time U.S. national champion. As a pair skater, she was the 1935 North American champion and four-time national champion with George Hill. She also won two national titles with Thornton Coolidge. She was the first female sportswriter at The New York Times, and continued competing and winning medals while working as a full-time reporter.
Scott Scovell Hamilton is a retired American figure skater and Olympic gold medalist. He won a gold medal in the 1984 Winter Olympics, four consecutive World Championships (1981–84) and four consecutive U.S. championships (1981–84). His signature move, the backflip, a feat few other figure skaters could perform at the time, is against U.S. Figure Skating and Olympic competition rules. Yet, he would include it in his exhibition routines as an amateur to please the crowd. Later, he also used the backflip in his professional competition routines. He is widely recognized for his innovative footwork sequences. In retirement, he has been involved in charitable work and is the author of three books.
John Anthony Curry, was a British figure skater. He was the 1976 European, World and Olympic Champion. He was noted for combining ballet and modern dance influences into his skating.
Viktor Vasyliovych Petrenko is a Ukrainian former competitive figure skater who represented the Soviet Union, the Unified Team, and Ukraine during his career. He is the 1992 Olympic Champion for the Unified Team. Petrenko became the first flagbearer for Ukraine.
Philippe Candeloro is a French former competitive figure skater. He is a two-time Olympic bronze medalist, a two-time World medalist, a two-time European silver medalist, and a four-time French national champion (1994–97). He has been a commentator for French television during figure skating events at the Olympics. He also made special appearance as himself and a villain's victim named "Frozer" in Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir.
Alexander (Sasha) Viacheslavovich Zhulin is a Russian ice dancing coach and former competitor. With Maya Usova, he is a two-time Olympic medalist, the 1993 World champion, and the 1993 European champion. They also won gold medals at Skate America, NHK Trophy, Nations Cup, and Winter Universiade. They represented the Soviet Union, the Unified Team, and Russia.
Carlo Fassi was an Italian figure skater and international coach whose students included several World and Olympic champions. As a single skater, he was the 1953 World bronze medalist, a two-time European champion, and a ten-time Italian national champion (1945–54).
Christopher Nicol Bowman was an American figure skater. He was a two-time World medalist, the 1983 World Junior champion, and a two-time U.S. national champion. He competed in two Olympic Winter Games, placing 7th in 1988 and 4th in 1992.
Maya Valentinovna Usova is a Russian former ice dancer. With Alexander Zhulin, she is a two-time Olympic medalist, the 1993 World champion, and the 1993 European champion. They also won gold medals at Skate America, NHK Trophy, Nations Cup, and Winter Universiade. They represented the Soviet Union, the Unified Team, and Russia.
Isabelle Duchesnay is a retired ice dancer who represented France for most of her career. With her brother Paul Duchesnay, she is the 1991 World champion and the 1992 Olympic silver medalist.
Marina Vladimirovna Klimova is a former competitive ice dancer who competed for the Soviet Union and the Unified Team. With skating partner and husband Sergei Ponomarenko, she is the 1992 Olympic champion, the 1988 Olympic silver medalist, the 1984 Olympic bronze medalist, a three-time World champion, and a four-time European champion.
Sergei Vladilenovich Ponomarenko is a Russian former competitive ice dancer who competed for the Soviet Union and the Unified team. With skating partner and wife Marina Klimova, he is the 1992 Olympic champion, 1988 Olympic silver medalist, 1984 Olympic bronze medalist, three-time World champion, and four-time European champion.
Oleg Vladimirovich Ovsyannikov is a Russian former competitive ice dancer. With partner Anjelika Krylova, he is the 1998 Olympic silver medalist and two-time World champion.
Petri Kokko is a Finnish former competitive ice dancer. He competed with Susanna Rahkamo, his wife. With Rahkamo, he is the 1995 European champion, 1995 World silver medalist, and competed in the Winter Olympics twice.
Jerod Swallow is an American ice dancer. With his wife Elizabeth Punsalan, he is a five-time U.S. national champion, two-time Skate America champion, and competed twice in the Winter Olympics.
Paul Duchesnay is a retired ice dancer who represented France for most of his career. With his sister Isabelle Duchesnay, he is the 1991 World champion and the 1992 Olympic silver medalist.
Mark Mitchell is an American retired competitive figure skater. He is a three-time medalist at the United States Figure Skating Championships and placed as high as fourth at the World Figure Skating Championships. After retiring from competition, he began work as a coach and choreographer in Boston with his husband, Peter Johansson. As of 2022, he lived in Provincetown with Johansson.
Chen Lu is a Chinese former figure skater. She is the 1994 and 1998 Olympic bronze medalist and the 1995 World Champion. Chen won the first ever Olympic medal in figure skating for China.