Tonya Maxine Harding, who would grow to be infamous in the world of figure skating, was born November 12, 1970 in
Portland,
Oregon to LaVona and Al Harding. She had a half-brother named Chris Davison, who is now deceased.
Harding had a difficult childhood- her mother was abusive and her family had very little money. While growing up, her family moved about Portland eight different times. Tonya dropped out of high school her sophomore year and later earned her GED.
When she was 19, Tonya married Jeff Gillooly. She filed several complaints with the police during their marriage and they divorced in 1993, but reconciled afterwards.
On January 6, 1994 Nancy Kerrigan was hit on her knee by a man named Shane Stant, who was hired by Jeff Gillooly to do so. Tonya won the Nationals that year claiming she had no involvement in the attack. Gillooly and his partner in crime were arrested and charged on several accounts. That February, Tonya pleaded not guilty of conspiracy, but she was stripped of her title and banned for life from figure skating in the U.S. She was also put on three years' probation, she completed 500 hours of community service and paid approximately $110,000 in fines.
In her now former career, Tonya had won 4th place in the 1992 Olympics; 1st place in 1991 Skate America; 2nd place in 1991 World Champion Competition; and 1st in the 1991 U.S. Nationals.
A made-for-television movie has since been made about the disgracing event, and Tonya had been trying to lift the ban placed on her so she could return to skating. Tonya recently went pro on the ice. She also had what proved to be a short-lived music career in 1995. Tonya is currently writing a book on her experiences in figure skating.
In 2000, Tonya was arrested and released on charges of assault. She was accused of flinging a hubcap at her live-in boyfriend, Darren Silver, and the hubcap hit him in the face. They have since made up.
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