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Tara Kristen Lipinski was born on June 10, 1982, in Philidelphia, Pennsylvania. She grew up in Sewell, New Jersey, where she began roller skating at the age of 3. When she was 5, shehad already won a regional competiton. At the age of 6, at the suggestion of her mothers friend, Tara tried ice skating. It wasn't the smoothest start, as Tara flopped all over the ice. But slowly, she began to get better, and by the end f the session, she wa transfering her roller skating moves, such as waltz jumps, and axels, onto the ice. Tara was now doing both roller skating, and figure skating. In 1991, the family moved to Texas, after Tara's father was transfered. Life in Sugarland was difficult, as Tara had to get up at 4:00AM to skate. The financial pinch showed too, and Tara had to give up roller skating. In 1993, Tara attended, "Summer School" at her old rink, The University of Delaware, in Newark Delaware, and began working with a new coach, Jeff DiGregorio. Jeff wanted Tara to come to Delaware to train full time. Tara wanted to as well, but her family was in Texas. The Lipinski's made a big decision. Tara and her mother took an apartment in Maryland, just over the Delaware line, while her father stayed in Texas. Tara's skating improved, and in 1994, she won the US Olympic festival, becoming the youngest athlete to do so. She also took a silver medal at the Novice nationals. In 1995, she won a silver medal at the Junior nationals, and placed 5th in the Junior worlds. After Tara's mother, and Jeff DiGregorio had a falling out at the Junior Worlds, Tara began to look for a new coach. The searh led the Richard Callahan, at the Detroit Figure Skating Club. Tara and her mother moved again, this time to Bloomingfield Hills, only weeks before the 1996 Senior Nationals. Tara placed 3rd, and at 13, earned a spot on the World team. She had a disaterous short, placing 23rd. But she bounced back in the long, skating a brilliant program, and moving up 7 spots to 15th. 1997 was to be the year Tara burst into the spotlight. After Michelle Kwan made three mistakes in the long program at the US Nationals, Tara swooped in, skating perfectly with 7 triple jumps, including the historical triple loop-triple loop, and grabbing the title. All skating comentator Dick Button could say, was "Oh my, oh my, OH MY!,". Tara carried that momentum to the Champion Series Final, where she defeated Kwan again. At the 1997 World Championships, Tara delt Kwan her third defeat,becoming the youngest world champion EVER, at the age of 14. 1998 started out rocky for Tara, after finishing second to Michelle Kwan at Skate America. This year, she was critiized for everything from her short program costume, to the edge on her lutz. At Trophee' Lalique, blade problems and a bad cold left her with only 5 triples, and a silver medal. Things began to look brighter later in the season, as she defended her Champion Series Final crown. She was hoping to ride that momentum into the US Nationals, which were being held in Lipinski's birthplace, Philidelphia. But it was not to be, as Tara fell on her triple flip jump in the short program, as she plummeted to 4th place. But she skated a solid, however,not perfect long, and leaped over Tonia K, and Nicole B, into second place, earning the right to the Olympic team in Nagano. It was Tara's goal when she got to Nagano, not to win the gold, but to live the entire Olympic experience. Unlike her teammates, Kwan and Bobek, Tara stayed in the Olympic village, and marched in the Opening Cerimonies. She had a ball. And she took that feeling onto the ice, skated perfectly for second in the short program, bursting into a HUGE smile after she landed her triple flip. Michelle Kwan skated perfectly in the long, and most thought she has the gold locked up. Not so fast, Tara seemed to say, the moment she began skating. Skating with grace, and a true love for her sport, Tara captivated millions. By the end of the 4 minutes, she couldn't contain her joy, running across the ice, pumping her fists in triumph. Then came the marks. Tara didn't look at the scores. Just the first place ordinals she'd won. Six. Out of Nine. The 1998 Olympic gold medalist leaped to her feet, uncorking a squeal that will be remembered forever. After the Olympics, in order to spend more time with her family, Tara turned professional. Today, she still wows us with her technical marvel, and growing artistry

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