COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – Figure skating traces its roots to 1772, when Englishman Robert Jones provided one of the first documented accounts of the sport. By the early 1900s, figure skating had crossed the Atlantic and was introduced to American audiences.
Learning to skate requires proper foot positioning and core strength. Skate blades cannot maintain a perfect 90-degree angle to the ice when pushing off or stopping. Balancing on ice requires significant agility and core strength from athletes.
Figure skating choreography relies heavily on the conservation of angular momentum. Angular momentum combines the skater’s weight, the size of their spinning circle and their rotational speed. When figure skaters pull their arms and legs closer to their bodies, they spin faster within a tighter circle.
Executing jumps requires complete body synchronization. Skaters build momentum during their approach, then dig the back edge of their blade into the ice to create torque. This twisting force generates the rotation that carries them into the air as they launch.
Team USA has earned 54 medals in figure skating competition, including 17 gold medals. The team will compete for additional medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
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