When you think about crazy sports moments, you probably think about things like game-winning touchdowns. Obviously, popular contact sports like football have plenty of crazy moments that fans spend years talking about. But did you know that figure skating, considered fancy and artsy, has some of the most epic moments in sports history?
It’s true, but unless you’re glued to the Winter Olympics all the time, you’ve likely missed most (if not all) of these moments. As always, though, we’ve got you covered, and we’re here to provide the lowdown on the craziest moments from the long history of the crazier sport. Keep reading, then, to discover the most epic figure skating moments in history!
Nancy Kerrigan’s silver medal
Unfortunately for her, Nancy Kerrigan became one of the most famous figure skaters in history for reasons outside of her control. Rival skater Tonya Harding attacked Kerrigan by taking a club to her knees. Her goal was as cruel as it was simple: to keep her rival from performing her best, effectively hobbling her at the worst possible time.
Fortunately, Kerrigan ended up defying the odds. Seven weeks after the attack, she ended up competing in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Amazingly, she took home the silver, and many think she only lost out on the gold due to a judge’s very controversial call. The biggest victory of all, though, is that Kerrigan refused to be held back or defined by this vicious attack.
John Curry’s record has never been beaten
Figure skating is one of those sports that mostly makes people think of female athletes. However, there have been some awesome male skaters over the years, including John Curry. And at the 1976 Winter Games in Innsbruck, Austria, this skater achieved a record that has never been beaten, earning him a permanent place in sports history.
At this event, Curry skated to Ludwig Minkus’ Don Quixote ballet, ultimately taking home the gold. Incredibly, though, that’s not even the most impressive part. Curry also earned 105.9 out of 108 points. To this day, that’s the highest amount of points in male figure skating history, one that hasn’t been surpassed even though Curry himself passed away back in 1994.