Brian Orser
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Olympic medalist | |||
 Brian Orser |
|||
| Medal record | |||
| Figure skating | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | 1984 Sarajevo | Men's Singles | |
| Silver | 1988 Calgary | Men's Singles | |
Brian Orser OC (born on December 18, 1961 in Belleville, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian figure skater and one of the most accomplished skaters in his country's history, with eight national titles, two Olympic medals, and a world title to his credit.
Orser won silver medals at the 1984 and 1988 Winter Olympics. He won the 1987 World Championships, beating American silver medalist Brian Boitano. At the 1988 Olympics in Calgary the battle for gold was waged between Orser and Boitano, with Orser losing the gold by the narrowest margin in history. The rivalry between them became known as the Battle of the Brians, and their skating in Calgary is often referred to as the greatest night of skating in Olympic men's history. At the time of their rivalry, Orser was especially known for his incredible footwork and artistry, in contrast with Boitano, who was known more for his athleticism and consistency in jumps. Ironically, Orser used to be considered the stronger technical skater when he competed against Scott Hamilton at the 1984 Olympics. During the first part of his skating career Orser was known as "Mr. Triple Axel," having been the first man to consistently land the jump and the first one to land it at the Olympics in 1984.
In November 1998, an ex-boyfriend sued Orser for palimony, outing Orser against his will. According to Orser, "Other skaters, both Canadian and American, guard their gayness closely because of the likely impact of public disclosure on their careers."
Orser's many accolades include an Emmy Award for his performance in Carmen on Ice. In 1985 he was made a Member of the Order of Canada and was promoted to Officer in 1988.
[edit] External links
- Brian Orser: Canadian Excellence - Official website
- ESPN's brief history of gay athletes
[edit] Navigation
 |
This article on a Canadian athlete is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
Categories: 1961 births | Canadian figure skaters | Figure skaters at the 1984 Winter Olympics | Figure skaters at the 1988 Winter Olympics | Gay sportspeople | LGBT people from Canada | Living people | Officers of the Order of Canada | Ontario sportspeople | People from Belleville, Ontario | Winter Olympics medalists | Olympic silver medalists for Canada | German Canadians | Skating biography stubs | Canadian sportspeople stubs
