Debi Thomas
Debi Thomas
Debra Janine Thomasis an American former figure skater and physician. She is the 1986 World champion, the 1988 Olympic bronze medalist, and a two-time U.S. national champion. Her rivalry with East Germany's Katarina Witt at the 1988 Calgary Olympics was known as the Battle of the Carmens...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionFigure Skater
Date of Birth25 March 1967
CityPoughkeepsie, NY
CountryUnited States of America
motivational athlete winter
I got a bronze medal and I can't complain about that, the only African-American to get a medal in the Winter Olympics.
motivational moving athlete
What was most important to me at the Olympics was going out there and performing my best. When I messed up the first jump combination, which was my big move, it hit me that I messed up the program of my life.
success mean perfect
Just because you didn't start out perfect doesn't mean you can't have an excellent result in the end.
heart emotional skating
My skating is a very emotional thing that comes from the heart, never doing it for the medal.
sports team doctors
Figure skating was a pretty individual sport. I've grown up a lot since those days and enjoy being part of a team now. Being a doctor is about working with nurses, therapists, anesthesiologists, and I've learned more about team play being a doctor than when I was in sports.
softball sports motivation
My advice is that going to the Olympics and winning a gold medal are great goals, but the real goal should be to be the best that you can be.
engineering design products
So I went for engineering, specifically product design, which I enjoyed.
orthopedics research residency
Right now I am doing my residency in orthopedic research.
school skating accomplish
I've got this thing with skating and school - to see how much I can accomplish.
doctors wanted five
I wanted to be a doctor since I was five.
knowing patient impressed
But I like it when my patients are impressed not knowing that I was an Olympian.
real life-changing firsts
Probably the '86 nationals. That was my first real national title and first real statement I ever made in figure skating, and my life changed after I returned.
mom doctors toys
I would make my mom buy me the toy doctor kit.
mom skating my-mom
I begged my mom to let me start skating.