Sports Biographies Alpha Index Index by Sport Index of Women Hamilton, Scott Figure Skating b. Aug. 28, 1958, Toledo, OH Other Resources After briefly trying gymnastics, Hamilton took up figure skating when he was nine and didn't become a champion until he was twenty-two. But then he became unbeatable, winning sixteen consecutive competitions, including the U. S. and world championships from 1981 through 1984 and the gold medal at the 1984 Winter Olympics. Although he was a brilliant free skater at his best, his excellence in the compulsories often gave him a nearly insurmountable lead. In the 1984 Olympics, Brian Orser of Canada had higher scores in the short and long programs but couldn't overcome the advantage Hamilton had gained in the compulsory figures. Hamilton became a professional after the 1984 season and started his own show, Stars on Ice, in 1986. Hamilton was diagnosed with testicular cancer in March of 1997, but he overcame that to return to skating. He retired in 2001. World Figure Skating Hall of Fame U. S. Olympic Hall of Fame | |
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