Kurt Browning

Infobox Figure skater
title= Kurt Browning


caption=Browning skates during the 2000 Canadian Stars on Ice tour
country= CAN
dateofbirth= birth date and age|1966|6|18
residence=
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Kurt Browning CM (born June 18, 1966) is a Canadian figure skater and choreographer. He is a four-time World Champion and four-time Canadian national champion.

Biography

Born in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta and raised in Caroline, Alberta, Browning was a four-time Canadian figure skating champion and four-time World Champion. He represented Canada in three Winter Olympics, 1988 (finishing 8th overall), 1992 (6th) and 1994 (5th), and was given the privilege of carrying the Canadian flag during the opening ceremonies of the 1994 games in Lillehammer, Norway. Browning's other achievements are numerous, including three Canadian Professional Championships, three World Professional Championships, a Lou Marsh Trophy for top Canadian Athlete (in 1990), Lionel Conacher Award winner (1990 and 1991), Order of Canada recipient (in 1990), an American Skating World Professional Skater of the Year Award (in 1998), and a Gustav Lussi Award from the Professional Skaters' Association (in 2001). The only trophy that he never won was an Olympic medal. He is also known as Wayne Gretzky of figure skating due to his achievements, contributions to the sport and popularity in Canada.

On March 25, 1988, at the 1988 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Browning landed the first quadruple jump ever in competition. [cite news |first= |last= |author= |coauthors= |title=A Quadruple Jump on Ice |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE6DE123EF935A15750C0A96E948260 |format= |work= |publisher=The New York Times |date=1988-03-26 |accessdate=2007-10-14 ] This accomplishment is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Browning is also known for his footwork.

He was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 and Canada's Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2000. He was honoured with a star on [http://www.canadaswalkoffame.com/inductees/01_kurt_browning.xml.htm Canada's Walk of Fame] in 2001. He also appeared in the 2006 FOX television program "Skating with Celebrities".

As a professional skater, Browning has had a long rivalry with Brian Boitano. At the 2006 Ice Wars competition, Browning narrowly defeated Boitano.

Browning married Sonia Rodriguez, a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada, on June 30, 1996. Their first son Gabriel was born on July 12, 2003 and their second son Dillon was born on August 14, 2007

Competitive highlights

1985
*Canadian Championships - 2nd1986
*Canadian Championships - 2nd1987
*Canadian Championships - 2nd
*World Championships - 15th1988
*Canadian Championships - 2nd
*Olympics - 8th
*World Championships - 6th1989
*Canadian Championships - 1st
*World Championships - 1st1990
*Canadian Championships - 1st
*World Championships - 1st1991
*Canadian Championships - 1st
*World Championships - 1st1992
*Olympics - 6th
*World Championships - 2nd1993
*Canadian Championships - 1st
*World Championships - 1st1994
*Olympics - 5th

References

External links

* [http://www.kurtfiles.com/ Kurt Files]

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