Famous Figure Skaters - List of Famous Figure Skaters

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear of figure skating? Individuals, pairs, and groups of talented skaters gliding gracefully across ice, putting up a remarkable display of their skills for the onlookers! Figure skating is a popular winter sport; in fact it was the first winter sport included in the Olympics, in 1908. It is a fascinating sport to watch, with the skaters performing spectacular spins, moves, jumps, lifts, and spirals in the field. While the history of figure skating stretches back to prehistoric times, American skater Jackson Haines is often regarded as the first skater to incorporate ballet and dance movements into his skating, thus heralding in the era of modern figure skating in the mid-19th century. In the early 20th century, Ulrich Salchow, a Swede skater, dominated the sport by winning the World Figure Skating Championships ten times. Fast forward a few decades, and the sport had become one of the most glamorous in the sporting world. The skaters who popularized ice skating in the later part of the 20th century included the likes of Hayes Alan Jenkins, David Jenkins, Tenley Albright, Donald Jackson, and Carol Heiss. Read on to know more about famous figure skaters from all over the world.