Evan Lysacek
Evan Lysacek | |
---|---|
Height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) |
Figure skating career | |
Country | United States |
Coach | Frank Carroll |
Skating club | DuPage FSC |
Most Recent Results: | |||
---|---|---|---|
Event | Points | Finish | Year |
Four Continents | 233.11 | 3rd | 2008 |
National Championships | 244.77 | 1st | 2008 |
Grand Prix Final | 229.78 | 3rd | 2007 |
Evan Frank Lysacek (IPA: [ɛvʌn lyːsaːʧek], ɜvæn l-yesɑchɛk (LIE-sah-chek) born June 4, 1985) is an American figure skater. He is the 2007 & 2008 U.S. National Champion, 2008 Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, and a two-time World bronze medalist (2005–2006). Lysacek is currently ranked 7th in the world.[1] He was the United States Olympic Committee's Male Athlete of the Month for November 2006.[2]
Personal life
Lysacek was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Naperville, Illinois. His mother, Tanya, is a substitute teacher in Naperville and his father, Don, is a building contractor. He has an older sister, Laura, and a younger sister, Christina, who plays on a nationally ranked volleyball team.[3] His cousin Cole Chason is a punter for the Clemson Tigers.[4] Lysacek graduated from Neuqua Valley High School in 2003. In high school, Lysacek was a member of the honor roll, and earned a number of academic achievement awards, including the Presidential Award for Academic Excellence in 1999.[3]
Lysacek is Greek Orthodox and has stated that one of his most prized possessions is his Greek Orthodox cross.[5] He wears Graf figure skating boots.[6]
Lysacek lives in Los Angeles, California and trains in El Segundo, California at the Toyota Sports Center.
Career
Evan Lysacek began skating at the age of eight. His grandmother had always wanted to be in the Ice Capades, so she bought him skates for Christmas. He originally wanted to play hockey so his mother enrolled him and his sister Laura in figure skating lessons so he would learn how to skate. Lysacek became hooked and was soon competing as a figure skater.
Early career
In 1996, Lysacek won the U.S. national title at the Juvenile level. In 1997, he moved up to Intermediate and won the pewter medal (fourth place) at the Junior Olympics, after winning both his regional and his sectional qualifying competitions.
After failing to qualify for Nationals on the novice level in 1998[7], Lysacek won the U.S. Novice title in 1999[8] at the age of thirteen and then immediately followed it with the U.S. Junior title in 2000[9] at the age of fourteen, placing fifth in the short program and first in the free skate, placing first overall. He was the first male skater since Terry Kubicka to win back-to-back Novice and Junior Men's titles in the United States.[10][11] The win on the junior level was unusual in that Lysacek moved from third to first overall while sitting backstage, because he won through a tiebreak in the 6.0 ordinal system.[12] Lysacek was tied with Parker Pennington in second place ordinals and had one more first place ordinal, giving him the win in the free skate in the Total Ordinals of Majority tiebreaker, which pushed him ahead in overall factored placements, allowing him to win the title overall.[13]
Lysacek had a strong showing in the 2000–2001 season. He showed promise on the Junior Grand Prix circuit, winning two silver medals and qualifying for the Junior Grand Prix Final. He placed 12th in his senior debut at Nationals, at the age of fifteen. Lysacek was named second alternate to the US team to the 2001 World Junior Figure Skating Championships and was placed on the team after Ryan Bradley[14][11] dropped out due to injury. Lysacek performed two clean programs and came in second behind fellow American Johnny Weir. This was the first time since 1987 that the US had captured gold and silver on the World Junior podium.[15][16]
The next season was a disappointing one. Lysacek dealt with several injuries, including broken ribs, which resulted in lost training time. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, the United States Figure Skating Association cancelled the Junior Grand Prix event to be held in Arizona[17] and did not allow their junior skaters to compete on the Junior Grand Prix circuit.[18] Lysacek lost motivation, repeated his 12th place finish at the U.S. Championships and was not selected for the World Junior team.[11]
After that, Lysacek changed his diet and his training habits and made goals for himself.[11] In the 2002-2003 season, he once again won medals on the Junior Grand Prix circuit, qualified again for the Junior Grand Prix Final, placed in the top ten at the U.S. Championships and competed at the 2003 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, his first senior international competition, and was placed on the 2003 Junior Worlds team. Due to the United States' poor performance at the 2002 Junior Worlds, they only had two men's spots. The US team was under a lot of pressure to earn three spots for the 2004 Junior Worlds. But the withdrawel of Parker Pennington, the higher ranked man on the two man team, focused on all that pressure on Lysacek's performance. Lysacek landed his first clean triple axel jump of his career in the qualifying round of that competition and his second clean one in the free skate.[11] His silver medal winning performance earned the United States three spots to the 2004 Junior Worlds.
After graduating from high school in 2003, Lysacek made a coaching change and began to work with Ken Congemi and Frank Carroll in El Segundo, California. With Congemi and Carroll, Lysacek won both of his Junior Grand Prix assignments as well as the Junior Grand Prix Final.[19] He placed fifth at nationals and was put on the 2004 Four Continents team, where he won the bronze as his first senior-level international medal. Lysacek then went on to the 2004 World Junior Figure Skating Championships, where he won a third silver medal.
Senior success
In the 2004–2005 season, having aged out of juniors at age 19, Lysacek made his senior international debut. Skating through a hip injury[20], Lysacek placed fifth at the 2004 Skate America, his first Grand Prix event of his career. He repeated that placement a few weeks later at Cup of Russia. At the 2005 Nationals, Lysacek won the bronze medal after receiving the first and only 6.0 of his career for his short program.[21] He went on to win his first senior international title at the 2005 Four Continents Championships. In Moscow, he won a surprising bronze medal at his first senior World Figure Skating Championships, a competition for which his only goal was to make it out of the qualifying round and into the free skate.[22][23]
In the 2005–2006 season, Lysacek had a rough start. He placed second at Skate America, but it was clear that his Grease free skate was not working. Lysacek and coach Frank Carroll made the decision to find a new long program.[24] Lyscek's new Carmen program was a success at the NHK Trophy, where Lysacek placed second. Lysacek was the only American man to qualify for the Grand Prix Final that season. However, he was forced to withdraw from the final because of bursitis and tendinitis in his right hip.[25] At the 2006 U.S. Championships, Lysacek was third after the short program, but pulled up to win the free skate, finishing second overall and winning the silver medal. He was named to compete at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, along with countrymen Johnny Weir and Matthew Savoie.[26]
At the Olympics, following a disappointing 10th place finish in the short program, he was hit with the stomach flu. Unable to practice, he stayed in bed at the Olympic village, receiving fluids from IVs. After considering withdrawing, he decided to skate the next day and went on to skate a career best free skate.[27] He finished his free skate with eight triple jumps and was ranked third of the night. He finished fourth overall, seven points below the bronze. He commentated on his long program on Olympic Ice the next day with Scott Hamilton and Mary Carillo.[7]
Lysacek ended his season by finishing third at the 2006 World Figure Skating Championships in Calgary, Alberta. Once again troubled by illness, he captured the bronze medal despite being on three different antibiotics to fight a bacterial infection, which at one point, caused him to cough up blood.[28] Lysacek was credited with landing his first quadruple jump in competition, a quadruple toe loop.[28] He pulled himself up from seventh place in the short on the strength of his long program. After Worlds, Lysacek toured with Champions on Ice.
In the 2006–2007 season, Lysacek placed second at Skate America. Two weeks later, Lysacek won the gold medal at Cup of China by a 20-point margin.[29] He qualified for the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final for the second year in a row. However, he withdrew from the competition before he was to skate his short program due to an injury to his hip.[30]
Lysacek resumed training a few weeks later.[7] At the 2007 National Championships, he performed his first clean short program all season, then went on to land his first clean quadruple jump in competition, quadruple toe loop-triple toe loop jump, in the long program, to win his first national title.[31] A week later, Lysacek competed in the ISU Four Continents Championship. He was fourth after the short, but made yet another comeback in the free skate, landing a clean quad combination, to earn a new personal best and to win his second Four Continents title.
At the 2007 World Figure Skating Championships, Lysacek made his first attempt at landing a quadruple jump in the short program. He attempted a quad-triple, but stepped out of the quad and put his hand down, and followed it with a double.[32][33] He placed fifth in the short program and earned himself his first new short program personal best in two years.[7] In the long program, he completed a quadruple toe-loop, but lost control of the landing, adding a three turn after it, and was unable to complete the quad-triple as intended.[34] He performed a double loop instead of a planned triple loop[7] and placed fifth once again in the long program, placing fifth over all.
Lysacek began the 2007-2008 season once again at Skate America. He underrotated and fell on an attempted quadruple toe loop-triple toe loop[35] in the short program, receiving only a score of one point for that element.[36] He was in second place going into the free skate. He won the free skate,[37] landing a clean quadruple jump,[38] but was unable to pull up to first overall, due to Daisuke Takahashi's twelve point lead after the short program.[39] He went on to the 2007 Cup of China, where he won the short program with a score of 81.55, improving his personal best by almost thirteen points.[40] He placed second in the free skate after falling on his quad, placing second overall to Johnny Weir.[41] This qualified him for the 2007-2008 Grand Prix Final. At the Final, Lysacek was credited with a quadruple jump in both his programs[42][43] and won the bronze medal overall, after placing third in both segments of the competition.[44] He earned a new overall personal best of 229.78 points. At the 2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Lysacek was second after the short program and won the free skate. Although he tied with Johnny Weir on the overall score, Lysacek won the title due to the tiebreaker.
At the 2008 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, Lysacek placed second in the short program and third in the free skate, placing third overall. Lysacek was on the US team for the 2008 World Figure Skating Championships and considered one of the favorites for a medal going into the event. However, he was forced to withdraw the week before the event due to an injury sustained while landing a triple axel. The blade broke off of his boot and he injured his left side of his body, from his forarm to his shoulder, and required a cast.[45]
Coaching changes
Evan Lysacek was originally coached by Candice Brown in Naperville.[46] After that, he worked with Deborah Stoery in Naperville, Illinois and Addison, Illinois for three years. For the next two years, he had an arrangement where he would train under both Addison-based Maria Jezak-Athey and Moscow-based Viktor Kudriavtsev. Kudriavtsev would come to Chicago for part of the year to coach, and Lysacek spent his summers at Kudriavtsev's summer training camps in Moscow, Russia and Flims, Switzerland. When that arrangement proved untenable, Kudriavtsev recommended Lysacek to Carroll, who agreed to coach Lysacek on the condition that Lysacek would work more with Congemi than with himself, due to Carroll's commitments to Timothy Goebel.[22][11] Lysacek moved to El Segundo, California to work with Frank Carroll and Ken Congemi in June 2003. Lysacek worked with both Congemi and Carroll through the 2006/2007 season, after which he began working solely with Carroll.
Lysacek has worked with many choreographers over the years, including Oleg Epstein[46][7] and Kurt Browning, but both his programs for the 2007-2008 season were choreographed by Lori Nichol.[7]
Off the ice
Lysacek studies acting on his own[47] and has also taken method acting classes at the Professional Arts School in Beverly Hills[7] He appeared in the independent short film Skate Great!, playing a Russian Olympic gold medalist.[48] Lysacek uses power yoga as conditioning training.[49]
He has used his fame to support in a number of charities. He participated in Target - A Time for Heroes, a celebrity charity event benefiting the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.[50] He also supports the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Jimmy Fund).[3]
Programs
Competitive highlights
Event | 1998-1999 | 1999-2000 | 2000-2001 | 2001-2002 | 2002-2003 | 2003-2004 | 2004-2005 | 2005-2006 | 2006-2007 | 2007-2008 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winter Olympic Games | 4th | |||||||||
World Championships | 3rd | 3rd | 5th | WD | ||||||
World Junior Championships | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | |||||||
Four Continents Championships | 10th | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 3rd | |||||
U.S. Championships | 1st N. | 1st J. | 12th | 12th | 7th | 5th | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 1st |
Grand Prix Final | WD | 3rd | ||||||||
Cup of China | 1st | 2nd | ||||||||
Skate America | 5th | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | ||||||
NHK Trophy | 2nd | |||||||||
Cup of Russia | 5th | |||||||||
Junior Grand Prix Final | 8th | 5th | 1st | |||||||
Junior Grand Prix, Croatia | 1st | |||||||||
Junior Grand Prix, Japan | 1st | |||||||||
Junior Grand Prix, Canada | 7th | 2nd | ||||||||
Junior Grand Prix, France | 2nd | |||||||||
Junior Grand Prix, Norway | 2nd | |||||||||
Junior Grand Prix, Germany | 2nd | |||||||||
Junior Grand Prix, Sweden | 1st | |||||||||
Gardena Spring Trophy | 2nd J. | |||||||||
Triglav Trophy | 1st J. | |||||||||
Event | 1998-1999 | 1999-2000 | 2000-2001 | 2001-2002 | 2002-2003 | 2003-2004 | 2004-2005 | 2005-2006 | 2006-2007 | 2007-2008 |
- N = Novice level; J = Junior level; WD = Withdrew
References
- ^ "ISU World Standings for Figure Skating and Ice Dancing". ISUFS.org. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
- ^ Neuendorf, Kevin (December 12 2006). "U.S. Olympic Committee Honors Figure Skater Evan Lysacek, Skeleton Athlete Katie Uhlaender and Women's Synchro Diving Team for November Accomplishments". usolympicteam.com. United States Olympic Committee. Retrieved 2007-03-10.
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(help) - ^ a b c "Athletes: U.S. Figure Skatig Bio for Evan Lysacek". USFSA.org. Retrieved 2007-03-31.
- ^ "Player Bio: Cole Chason". CSTV.com. Retrieved 2007-03-10.
- ^ "Athletes: Evan Lysacek". NBCOlympics.com. NBC Universal. Archived from the original on 2006-08-31. Retrieved 2007-03-10.
- ^ "Evan Lysacek's mailbag". NBCOlympics.com. NBC Universal. Archived from the original on 2006-08-31. Retrieved 2007-03-10.
{{cite web}}
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timestamp mismatch; 2006-08-23 suggested (help) - ^ a b c d e f g h "Evan Lysacek". figureskatingonline.com. Figure Skaters Online. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
- ^ "1999 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships". US Figure Skating.org. U.S. Figure Skating. Retrieved 2007-03-11.
- ^ "2000 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships". US Figure Skating.org. U.S. Figure Skating. Retrieved 2007-03-11.
- ^ Shiple, Amy (2004-10-21). "For Lysacek, No Pain Means No Gain: Fracture in Pelvis Will Not Stop Promising Skater". Washington Post. Retrieved 2006-03-06.
- ^ a b c d e f Mittan, Barry (April 25 2004). "Three Pieces of Silver for Evan Lysacek". Golden Skate. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
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(help) - ^ Shontz, Lori (2000-02-13). "Notebook: Young skater mum about off-season work". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
- ^ "2000 US Nationals: Junior Men: Judges Placements". Retrieved 2008-02-11.
- ^ "PLUS: FIGURE SKATING; U.S. Men Finish First and Second". New York Times. 2001-03-02. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
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(help) - ^ "U.S. figure skater wins men's event". The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. March 5 2001. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
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(help) - ^ "Canadians rebound". The Globe and Mail. 2001-03-02. p. S7.
It was the first time since 1987, when Rudy Galindo and Todd Eldredge stood atop the podium, that Americans won both the gold and silver medals.
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(help) - ^ "ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2nd event in Phoenix (USA) Cancelled". International Skating Union.org. International Skating Union. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
- ^ "Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2001, Ostrava (CZE)". International Skating Union.org. International Skating Union. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
- ^ Walsh, Brenna (November 12 2003). "Lysacek Wins Double JGP Gold, Heads to JGP Final". US Figure Skating.org. U.S. Figure Skating. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
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(help) - ^ Partain, Amy (October 22 2004). "Lysacek Pushing Through The Pain of a Hip Injury". US Figure Skating.org. U.S. Figure Skating. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
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(help) - ^ DeWall, Lindsay (January 14 2005). "FIGURE SKATING: A Turmoil of Emotions, An "Unbeatable" Short Program for Goebel at the 2005 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships". usolympicteam.com. United States Olympic Committee. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
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(help) - ^ a b Hersh, Philip (2006-01-08). "Gaining elevation: An Olympic medal is not out of the question for former Naperville resident Evan Lysacek". Chicago Tribune.
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(help) - ^ DeWall, Lindsay (March 17 2005). "Evan Lysacek wins bronze at Worlds". usolympicteam.com. United States Olympic Committee. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
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(help) - ^ Shontz, Lori (January 9 2006). "An oldie but goodie. A late switch to "Carmen" has Evan Lysacek feeling comfortable about his long program again". usolympicteam.com. United States Olympic Committee. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
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(help) - ^ "Lysacek Withdraws from Grand Prix Final and Marshalls Challenge Due to Injury". US Figure Skating.org. U.S. Figure Skating. December 8 2005. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
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(help) - ^ "International Competition Selections, Including 2006 Olympic Team". US Figure Skating.org. U.S. Figure Skating. January 14 2006. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
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(help) - ^ Carnes, Jim (2006-08-04). "A fine line for top-notch skaters". Sacramento Bee.
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(help) - ^ a b Fawcett, Laura (March 20 2006). "Men's Qualifying Opens 2006 World Championships". US Figure Skating.org. U.S. Figure Skating. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
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(help) - ^ "Cup of China 2006: Men". ISUFS.org. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
- ^ Zanca, Sal (December 15 2006). "Evan Lysacek Injured at Grand Prix Final". US Figure Skating.org. U.S. Figure Skating. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
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(help) - ^ Wojdyla, Michelle (January 27 2007). "Lysacek Electrifies Spokane Arena to Win Gold". US Figure Skating.org. U.S. Figure Skating. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
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(help) - ^ Hersh, Philip (2007-03-21). "Lysacek fifth in short program". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2007-03-21.
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(help) - ^ Hersh, Philip (2007-03-21). "Naperville's Lysacek skates on the edge". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2007-03-26.
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(help) - ^ Hersh, Philip (2007-03-23). "Joubert skates to men's title". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2007-03-26.
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(help) - ^ WILNER, BARRY (2007-10-27). "Takahashi Gets Jiggy at Skate America". Retrieved 2007-11-02.
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(help) - ^ "2007 Skate America - Men's Short Program Protocol" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-11-02.
- ^ "2007 Skate America Official Results". Retrieved 2007-11-02.
- ^ "2007 Skate America - Men's Free Skating Protocol" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-11-02.
- ^ "Takahashi holds off U.S. champion Lysacek". Sports Illustrated. 2007-10-28. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
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(help) - ^ "Lysacek edges Weir in men's short program at Cup of China". Associated Press. International Herald Tribune. 2007-11-09. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
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(help) - ^ "Americans Johnny Weir, Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto win at Cup of China". USA Today. 2007-11-10. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
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(help) - ^ "ISU Grand Prix Final Men's Short Program Protocol" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-12-28.
- ^ "ISU Grand Prix Final Men's Free Skating Protocol" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-12-28.
- ^ "ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final - Men". Retrieved 2007-12-19.
- ^ icenetwork.com: News
- ^ a b "Evan Lysacek". ISUFS.org. International Skating Union. October 3 2003. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
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(help) - ^ LaTour, Paul (2007-03-18). "Rapping with Evan". Naperville Sun. Retrieved 2007-03-26.
- ^ Mihoces, Gary (November 2006). "Lysacek cuts impressive figure in film". USA Today. Retrieved 2007-03-12.
- ^ Hallett, Vicky (2007-04-10). "Fit: Cutting-Edge Exercises". Express. Retrieved 2007-04-11.
- ^ "Lysacek To Appear at "Target — A Time For Heroes" Celebrity Fundraiser". U.S. Figure Skating. 2005-06-08. Retrieved 2007-04-02.
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(help) - ^ Nii, Jenifer K. (1999-02-08). "Skating championships open with nervous novices". Deseret News (Salt Lake City). p. D08.
His program, performed to the music of the "Gypsy Kings," had audiences clapping along, and his triple toe-double toe combination left them breathless.
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(help) - ^ ROSETTA, DICK (1999-02-09). "Stellato Continues Stellar, But Liang Is Darling on Ice; In men's competition, Lysacek pulls off stunning upset of ailing LaRoche in novice long program and overall; Stellato Turns In Golden Performance". Salt Lake Tribune (Utah). p. D1.
Lysacek, 13, was the beneficiary of Laroche's back spasms and his own near-perfect, three-minute skate to the music of "Romeo and Juliet."
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(help) - ^ Reynolds, Marge (1997-11-28). "Practice pays off as six skaters advance to sectional competition". Chicago Daily Herald. p. 3.
I have added a triple Salchow combination to my freeskating program, and I skate to music from the "Dragon" soundtrack,
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External links
- Official site
- Evan Lysacek at U.S. Figure Skating (archived)
- Evan Lysacek at the International Skating Union
- Evan Lysacek at IMDb
- U.S. Olympic team bio
- Evan Lysacek - Fansite by Megi