I didn't even realize Tara can't skate anymore until I read this topic. I had no idea she was in this condition (I don't follow skating news much). It's such a shame. She wanted so badly to win the Olympic gold medal, and she did. It just costed her her body.
Where is Tara Lapinski, these days
- Thread starter Ladskater
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SkateFan4Life
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Ladskater said:
I hope Tara has invested her money wisely so that she won't be relegated to the ranks of working stiffs, like the rest of us.
This is a classic example of a young athlete who pushed herself to the max, far beyond what her young body could possibly absorb.
My questions are - "What in the heck were her parents and her coaches thinking? Didn't they know that Tara was injured six months prior to the Olympics? What possible justification could there be in continuing to over train, knowing that this could result in permanent injury?"
The answer is - "It was all in the pursuit of the Olympic gold medal".
Well, Tara won the gold medal, and she had her fifteen minutes of fame. Unfortuantely for her, she may have some serious physical challenges ahead in the years to come. And she's only 22!
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- Dec 2, 2004
I think she would make a good TV commentator. I think her having competed against Michelle Kwan would make her commenting even better. Maybe she would have further insight than some of the commentators we have now.
I was always under the impression that Tara pushed herself. Tara is a really different person than Michelle. Michelle strikes me as more laid back and will think about her well being above doing an element. Tara is a Type A perfectionist who has to have the most difficult element and do everything the best. She wouldn't have been happy unless she gave it her all and skated her best and that's why she deserved her Olympic Gold medal. It's really unfortunate that she was never really embraced by the public or skating fans for her performances. I don't care about Michelle's programs but I will always remember Tara's programs. Little Women, Anastasia and Rainbow will forever live in my mind and be the way I remember Tara. She was the perfect little skater and consistent in her perfection.
And as for her injuries, lots of skaters get horrible injuries but at least Tara has her magical memories of Nagano. Other skaters aren't so fortunate so don't feel too bad for her. I don't think she's a pity case.
And as for her injuries, lots of skaters get horrible injuries but at least Tara has her magical memories of Nagano. Other skaters aren't so fortunate so don't feel too bad for her. I don't think she's a pity case.
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- Jul 27, 2003
Johar said:
No it's not THAT extreme. She just can't rotate jumps anymore beyond doubles due to her chronic hip flare-ups. So because she can't practice them, her ability to do any pro competitions is over. I'd wager that she could still skate in exhibitions and be in the Katarina Witt-Ros Sumners category of tech skating if she wanted to. But the point is that she has all but vanished from skating.
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- Dec 29, 2004
Ladskater said:
Tara is in Los Angeles persuing her acting carrer. She was back in New Jersey last year after her grandmother passed away. She is taking acting lessons and trying to start a real carrer in acting.
Articles have been written on Ms. Lapinski, but ice skating editors are such a tight band that they rarely let outsiders intrude on their little domain.
How can one describe Tara as "consistent" when she quit eligible skating at 15? Nowadays, few skaters that young are even competing in the Senior ranks. When Carolina Kostner was 15 she was a whiz kid on skates, but now that her body is maturing, her jumps have gone south. We are seeing the same thing happening to Cynthia Phaneuf, and to Miki Ando, who could land 4S at 14 and 15, but at 17 she's stopped trying the quad and is underrotating the 3/3s. The new whiz kid is 14-YO Mao Asada, but who knows if she will still be able to land the 3As when she is 17?
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- Dec 2, 2004
Yes-this is true. We're beginning to see alot of "peaking too early."But it seemed like such a surprise finish for Tara at the 1998 Olympics. But to learn that she was hurting her body and over-practicing just to get the gold medal. I remember being so happy for her when she won . And to think that yes she would've had a great skating career ahead of her. She peaked too early....I remember her doing some skating shows right after the Olympics and like said one with Kurt. She was a great skater though and her program at the Olympics was brilliant and the judges did a good job of judging who had the performance of the night. I wish her luck in pursuing her acting career in LA. She made an appearance on 7th Heaven too didn't she?
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euterpe said:
Tara was extremely consistent and secure in her jumps. Far above any of the other "wonderkids" that have come up since. Plus her jumps were fully rotated. Also I believe that had Tara not been injured, she still would have had the jumps. She's 22 and her body is still small and compact. Even after Tara turned pro, she still had nice triple jumps until her unjury became too debilitating.
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- Jul 27, 2003
I hate to see vicious rumors circulated that impugn the reputation of a stellar athlete and Olympic champion. They should not be promoted on this type of message board, as it only furthers the aim of the person that started the rumor.
FYI, top tier athletes often have delayed puberty.
FYI, top tier athletes often have delayed puberty.
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
I am NOT a fan of Tara. I never saw her actually skate edges. On the plus side she had a typical little girl style of bubbling all over the ice. She brought to ice the old roller trick of consecutive loop jumps. With lighter skates to work on, the triples came easy for her and she was able to complete the combo.
She worked that 3rx3r constantly (from reports I read). I believe it is what tore at her hips. At the first sign of hip problems she could have taken time off to let that right hip heal. She didn't. and after the Olys she went into show skating and limited her one triple to a 3Toe. Less pressure on the right hip except for the landing but after two years of SOI it got worse.
She made the decision to continue to skate after she found out how bad a shape her right hip was in. That is her decision, and I respect any skater's decision. However, in hind sight, one has to ask: Was it worth it?
And BTW, there are fun rumors and there are rumors that need to be given a source. "I heard" is not a source for a serious rumor. Let's not continue that sort of thing on the Board.
Joe
She worked that 3rx3r constantly (from reports I read). I believe it is what tore at her hips. At the first sign of hip problems she could have taken time off to let that right hip heal. She didn't. and after the Olys she went into show skating and limited her one triple to a 3Toe. Less pressure on the right hip except for the landing but after two years of SOI it got worse.
She made the decision to continue to skate after she found out how bad a shape her right hip was in. That is her decision, and I respect any skater's decision. However, in hind sight, one has to ask: Was it worth it?
And BTW, there are fun rumors and there are rumors that need to be given a source. "I heard" is not a source for a serious rumor. Let's not continue that sort of thing on the Board.
Joe
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- Joined
- Jul 28, 2003
Joesitz said:
Was it worth it? What an appropriate question. Karen Magnussen was sidelined during the 1970s season with two hairline fractures in her legs; Karen was given the option to continue, but was warned by her specialist her career in skating would be shortlived. Thank goodness, Karen opted to remain off ice until her legs properly healed. She went on to become the Olympic silver medalist in Japan and later ended her career as World champion. A wise decision made by Karen. Today she is teaching.
Who knows had Tara taken some time off, we might be seeing her today still skating. I thought she was a very talented young skater. Actually she did show some edge work in a program Kurt Browning created for her. Excellent footwork. She should have continued on in this venue and gave the jumps a rest.
Joesitz said:
Then you weren't looking at her close enough. Tara had GREAT , SECURE edges and stroked the ice with POWERFUL, LONG strokes. I think you're letting her small physique fool you into thinking that her skating was childlike. Just because Tara looked like a little girl didn't mean that she skated like a child. Tara's skating was much more powerful than Michelle's and her speed was unbelievable. In Brennan's book, Sandra Bezic said that Tara's stroking was like Brian Boitano's and Brian can hold an edge.
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- Jul 11, 2003
Let's agree to disagree. I say; you say.
Joe
Joe
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- Jul 11, 2003
If you love the sugar high then you don't see the stroking. Watch the tape and Tara is doing zig zags on two feet for footwork not to mention the flat edge spiral. But I understand where you are coming from and that's ok.ceg15 said:
Joe