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From: waheedswoman
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  • She was GREAT IN THE SP if she had skated like that in the LP there would have been no doubt !!!!  Katerina could not touch her !

  • She was such a fantastic skater! So strong, such extension, such height! She was nailing those edges like she was walking in the park. I'm sure that if she hadn't fumbled in her LP, she would have been the first African American woman to win an Olympic gold for figure skating.

  • @gheefreak - She was an undergraduate and then medical student, and of course, an olympian.  She is now an orthopedic surgeon.

  • ....She's a med student and an Olympian. She must never sleep.

  • I love the footwork, and can someone advised if Thomas actually did win the short? To my knowledge Thomas was 2/or 3rd after figures, 1 after short. Let me know if this is right?

  • I just can't get into these programs because I keep thinking about how royally screwed Midori Ito was. If you watch Ito's short and long, there is no WAY Ito should have gotten anything but first place ordinals. I realize she bombed the figures (tracing shapes on ice), but they should have at least acknowledged her vastly superior free skating. I mean, she put Thomas and Witt in the dust.

  • @mlc2005

    Midori Ito was a jumping machine and nothing more. And even her jumping technique was horrible. Figure Skating is about more than just jumps, or at least is should be.

  • @MrMcMusic01 I agree with you about Midori lacking artistry but who are you to say her technique was horrible? Even Men at her time is at awe at her technical ability. Maybe now her technique wouldn't work but during her time her technique was the best in the world.

  • @wph1966 - I guess that's why her tecnical merit marks were so high? If any skater was overrated during her era it was Katarina Witt and her over-the-top antics and costumes. Witt was on her toes during most of her 88 Olympic short program.

  • Comment removed

  • Seems rather slow and heavy footed on the ice......Overrated for the time

  • A Awesome Display of Dancing (YES DANCING) oN iCE... Such a spectacular PERFORMANCE, Body control abnormal and DEFINING tha Law Of Physic'z Amenably!!!

    "BEAUTIFULLY DONE BY SUCH A GREAT LOOKIN SCULPTURE!"

  • I think (and of course could be wrong.We'll never know) had she skated her LP perfectly, they would've still given it to Witt b/c they wouldve downgraded her artistic marks and back in those days, the artistic marks won the comp. But even if Debi had still come out ahead with that, they would've just changed the ordinals so Witt could win. The crowd was on Debi's side but the judges were on Witt's, I think.

  • We will always love Debi. !!!

  • that was amazing!

  • HOW CAN YOU SAY WITT SLEEPS ARROUND, I LIVE IN GERMANY AND SHE IS PROMOTING THE NEW OLYMPICS, SHE HAS AN EXTREMELY SUCCESFULL PR COMPANY AND RUNS A CHARITY AND IS IN MANY TV SPECIAL AS WELL AS HOSTING GERMANY BIGGEST LOOSER AND SHE IS WORTH ABOUT 50 MILLION DOLLARS. AND NOT TO FORGET DONATES HUGE AMOUNTS TO THE GERMAN FIGURE SKATING ASS. HOW CAN YOU JUST PLURE OUT STUFF LIKE THAT.

  • THIS IS TO HATTIELOVESCATTIE HOW CAN YOU SAY WITT SLEEPS ARROUND, I LIVE IN GERMANY AND SHE IS PROMOTING THE NEW OLYMPICS, SHE HAS AN EXTREMELY SUCCESFULL PR COMPANY AND RUNS A CHARITY AND IS IN MANY TV SPECIAL AS WELL AS HOSTING GERMANY BIGGEST LOOSER AND SHE IS WORTH ABOUT 50 MILLION DOLLARS. AND NOT TO FORGET DONATES HUGE AMOUNTS TO THE GERMAN FIGURE SKATING ASS. HOW CAN YOU JUST PLURE OUT STUFF LIKE THAT.

  • One of the greats - what a shame she couldn't perform her LP as she did at nationals. This program reminds me a lot of Slyutskaya in 2006. Same sort of body-suit, similar music and power-house skating.

  • One of the greats - what a shame she couldn't perform her LP as she did at nationals.

  • She is my Idol for Ice skating... :)

  • Winning the bronze medal was only a footnote in her life. After the 88 Olympics she did an engineering degree. Today she is working as an orthopedic surgeon. Those stupid TV stations should do a Debi Thomas reality show instead of those trashy Armenian bitches. This woman is a fucking ROLE MODEL for god's sake. Beauty, brains, and talent. She's the real deal. The complete package. Fuck Oprah, Michelle Obama, and Condi. Debi Thomas is the greatest African-American woman ever!!

  • @alessandrosgirl Let's not get carried away. So what, she was black. She was also not a nice person to fans during and after the Olympics. I found her arrogant and hacking humility. Andrea Gardier was a black skater in the late 90s who was much more of a role model.

  • @metsdudenj She at least made something of herself,becoming a Dr.Katt Witt is more famous for sleeping around and posing in Playboy.

  • I don't think it was all that diificult to judge. Katarina's progrmaa was its usual over-the-top-program, replete with a lot of posing (especially) her long program. You said Debi's costume was the talk of the town by some. Well, so costume Katarina's showgirl costume. All feathery and shit. Debi's unitard led to such a costume being band for awhile (ban late lifited, as Slutskaya wore a similar one at the 2000 Olympics). One of Kati's costumes led to the ban...

  • @MrOu83 i never figured what was so wrong about this costume. she was covered, and since her routine was more of a powerful, for lack of a better word, a little fluffy costume wouldn't have worked.

  • It was difficult to judge. Debi and Katerina were both fabulous. But I do remember people at the time commenting on her costume and defiant ending of Carmen, unlike the more traditional Carmen that Katerina did.

  • This performance was kick ass!!! The entire theme of this short program was unique and refreshing to watch. While she was attending medical school in Chicago, she was always volunteering her time teaching underpriviledged children how to ice skate. Although she did not win the gold, she earned the bronze and that's something she can tell her grandkids.

  • This program was difficult and energetic. This had to have won the short program over Witt. THose artistic marks were a joke.

  • One of the all time greats... period.

  • Debi so won the short program.

  • I never saw that kind of combo before. Double then triple. Usually, at least nowadays, it is triple/double. Great performance by her and deserving of first place.

  • the stupid judges didnt like the outfit or the music and judged accordingly

  • That was such a good number.Loved the song too.

  • No offense, but why is it, that the parents of the atheltes don't get that great of seats? I mean, they paid for every single lesson or practice the child ever went to and had to manage taking said child to practice and getting to work on time. I just don't get it.

  • What is the song playing? And Debi is awesome. :-)

  • Ah...back when skaters understood rhythm and edges...

  • I love Debi Thomas! That was a smashing program!

  • I had a huge crush on her as young boy. She is a phenomenal skater, and so very gorgeous.

  • wow stupid score.. I would give her a 6 on skating and 5.9 on presentation .

  • The staid judges didnt like the modern loud 80s music obviously

  • @kangaroosbraun I loved Elvis's music for his short.I accidently taped over a few seconds of it.I think I read it was called Frogs In Space.:)

  • The media unfairly put a lot of pressure on Debi....turning it into a black-white thing with Kat....which is what they did ....and alkso in the LP she had to skate last which must have put her off

    \...Witt only won in 88 though default...Liz Manly won the LP and Debi won the SP so how the fuck does Witt win Gold in this unfairly crazy sport

  • @kangaroosbraun Debi did not win the short. She was leading after the short with a combined 2nd from figures and 2nd from the short. Witt was placed 1st in the short by the judges though.

  • She sure choked in the long program though.

  • The women of the 80s and early 90s got MUCH more height on all their jumps and were generally much more powerful skaters.

  • @StewNWT That's because a lot of the sports now-a-days only focus on the showmanship and not as much on the fundamentals. The same can be said about gymnastics, more power and less grace. Basketball, more flash and not as great form. Every sport from the 90's back, to me anyway, had more credibility. All people care about is looking cool and not looking correct. So I totally agree with you man.

  • Debi Thomas, Surya Bonaly, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Denise Bielleman were the only reasons I would watch ice skating back in the day.

  • not Ito or Harding?

  • @vistaprime Harding was not in the 1988 Olympics. Kadavy was great-even better than Trenary or even Thomas. Harding was in the 1992 Olympics and the saga of Nancy and Tonya in 1994.

  • Holy moly compare the height on her double axel compared to Tara's 10 years later!

  • Debi Thomas' performance to George Michael's "One More Try" at the 1988 Olympics winner's venue Exhibition was a work of art.

  • @DietrichHamilton thanks for reminding me of that performance..! yes..it was great. Have you found it here on youtube..?

  • Yes considering she made it up as she did it, from what she told Peggy Fleming

  • @DietrichHamilton a work of art.

  • I LOVE Debbie Thomas!

  • Too bad she couldn't do this in the long....

  • This is one of my all time fave SPs. I loved Witt's too. And Kira's. RIP. :(

  • One of the best short programs ever. Too bad her behavior at the metal ceremony was so appalling.

  • Listen people: If a person doesn't like Debi, it doesn't mean he/she is racist, and if a person does like Witt, it doesn't mean they only like her because of her "cunt" or "slutty" outfits (as some have called her).

    Personally, I thought BOTH were overrated. Witt was MUCH more consistent though, and she did have expression to her. Debi was smoother and had MUCH better edging, but she gave up quickly. 

    For me, these games were about Ito and Manley, and the other two were distractions.

  • oh stay out of it mlcunt2000, aquamarinetalksoutofhisass posted racist, homophobic and anti-semitic remarks on here a long time ago, they were since deleted and now he acts like he never said them, so shut the fuck up and go back to your hole!

  • I also loved Caryn Kadavy. Her sh ort

    program was just wonderful. She and Ito

    should have been the top 2 in the short for

    sure in one order or another, and Ito and

    Manley in the long. Unfortuantely Kadavy

    was politcally only the 3rd American behind

    the overrated Thomas and even more

    overrated Trenary, so never got the marks

    she deserved. :( She also had to pull out

    before the LP with the flu. :(

  • @russianskatingfan Debi wasnt overrated, no way. I never knew anything about ice skating until she came along..she had a lot of presence and she wasnt half-bad either in that body stocking...go back to Russia

  • I never liked Debi Thomas.....She and her coach were such bad losers and showed such poor sportsmanship here....and at Worlds that year.....Katarina was the BEST!!!!!

  • bullshit....debi deserved better marke here and that affected the whole final thing

  • Agreed!

  • twilliger123:

    If you would like, we'd be happy to help you look up some local agencies that specialize in anger management and/or better ways at communicating. If you are interested, please let me know and I'll try and help.

  • mlcunt2000:

    GO FUCK YOURSELF WITH CUNTERINA TWIT'S SKATE BLADE. THANK YOU.

  • @twilliger123 Troll alert. :)

  • @faeryquene STUPIDCUNTALERT

  • @FAERYTWAT - Fuck off and die alert

  • well said mlc2005. twillassbandit and his kiind have noi place in a decent society! If you don't agree wiith him/her/it, iinsults start flying! it's a non entity!

  • I only insult you for your racist homophobic remarks!

  • I don't agree with Debi's artistic marks.

  • a bit too much make up, I think. Less is more, honey...

  • if they had scored her better here she would have the silver at least....she was maeked down for two things: The Music and The Outfit which was a body stocking

  • @kangaroosbraun And it's interesting women can now wear unitards.

    I love this outfit on Debi it suits her frame.

  • they cheated her...FUCKING RACIST BASTARDS!

  • I was such a fan of this girl's skating! Too bad she didn't go further, but she had a calling she needed to answer!

  • True, but I think those of us who were and still are fans of her can be proud in the fact that she reached her dream of becoming a doctor.

  • Yes, and Cunterina Twat posed for Playboy, how classy!

  • twillassbandit Sie sind wirklich die niedrigste der niedrig! warum tust du uns ein und gehen und für die ein langer, langsamer schmerzhaft langsamen Tod!

  • she just hadn´t katarinas charisma and she never was able to tell a story like katarina did......katarina was simply better. nevertheless this was a great performance....considering all three parts katarina was really the best! i wished debi has a little more nerve, but at least it was a bronze at the olympics at this is hot stuff....

  • 76sunny,

    yeah Witt told a story with her high cut STRIPPER'S outfit and rinestones coming out of her CROTCH! Another story she told was when she did the EASIEST jump combination of ALL the other ladies.

    But maybe the alleged stories of Katarina's illegal steroid use helped her! After all, she had a "special relationship" with her government.

    Right, aquamarineeyes??

  • Finally, someone who thinks aquamrineasshole is just what he is, a racist piece of shit who jerks off to Cunterina Twat's old skating videos on youtube! Couldn't agree more, TheHoopify!

  • PMSL! You REALLY cannot help yourself can you twillassbandit? KATARINA UBER ALLES.

    P.S. If I had my way, low life scum like you would be taken away at the dead of night and never seen again!

  • Yes like all black and jewish and gay people, aquamarineasshole? Another Holocaust in your honor? Don't think so asshole!

  • it is YOU twillassbandit who is the ANTI SEMITE ANTI GERMAN racist here! it was YOU twillassbandit that had your remarks removed some time ago! Pity we cannot see what absolute lower class filth you really are!

  • LMAO - try to put it back on me like you did before and it failed...EVERYONE SAW THROUGH YOU AND SEES THROUGH YOU NOW. Go back to teaching your son your ways so he can be a piece of uber white trash too....

  • @76sunny what a witt-clit story you mean...debi was way better...anyway Manly should have won the gold

  • Best program of the night!

    Even better than Ito who was a great jumper but had no line and who didn't have much of a style.

  • Well..Debi was superior in the Short & the Figures and Manley was the best Long.

    So..the "teacher's pet" with her Frederick's Of Hollywood costume won.She played it nice and safe.

    Now go back to the bunker because, as usual, you're doing your wack job impression!

  • What a performance!

  • Debi is so fine.

  • That outfit was way hotter than anyone else's Witt could never have pulled off THIS outfit.....She was robbed in the marks of this performance and this missed out on the silver at least

  • kangaroosbraun: I'm sorry, but even if Debi were overmarked here, her winning the silver would have been a joke, considering how horendous her long program was. I felt that Debi should not have been on the podium, and that Ito should have at least gotten the bronze. Remember, I do think Debi has great great things about her skating, but this event was not her night at all (the long I mean).

  • 3:03 ist Katarina Witt zu sehen. Sie guckt recht neidisch und kann ihre Enttäuschung wohl nur knapp verbergen

  • wow. What a double axel. It looks like she could have done a triple.

  • It was after watching this Olympics that I was inspired to start skating. I now coach. : ) Thanks, Debbie!!

  • wasnt it a 'body stocking'? anyway she looked briliant, very american as opposed to witt. who looked like 'a showgirl'

  • manly won the LP anyway

  • If Thomas had backed away from her choice of Carmen it would've looked like she doubted herself.Besides, Debi was tough and wouldn't back down from any other athlete.

    IMO had she skated a clean Long she would've won the gold.

    Both thier Carmen's were different and beautiful.Debi's had energy and lightness and technique.

    If Debi had skated the Long like she skated the Short she probably would've been the Olympic champ.

  • Great music choice by Debi, so energetic and contemporary. Kudos to her for thinking outside the box and not going with the typical artsy-fartsy classical piece or corny showtunes.

  • I love Debi!When she was on she was brilliant!

  • I like her powerful style, but she rushed too much through the programme, whereas Witt showed more personality, emotion and soul .

  • Were unitards allowed in that era? I vaguely recall someone mentioning Debi might have been hit with a deduction for not wearing a skirt (sexist I know). I seem to recall it was officially allowed after skaters like Slutskaya came along.

  • Debi was the champ on this night imo. She should have won the SP over Witt.

  • this is way better than Witt's strippergram performance.

  • It was a Broadway showgirl number not a strippergram. I don't see the need to insult Witt in such a way just because you did not like her or her style. It seems petty and uncalled for.

  • I didn't know this.

    I recall that either Thomas or Witt had to win the Long to win the championship because going in to the Long they were both so close in the standings.

    It was Manley who was edged out for the Gold because even tho she won the Long, she was 3rd going in and it came down to a few small points.

  • Such power! Such confident jumps and spins.She was brilliant here!

    Thanks for posting this.

  • This is the most awesome thing that ever awesomed.

    But I can't help but think that if this performance (stretched out to four minutes of course) was her long program she may have won, but I'm not the expert.

  • how can anyone say she copied Katty? I think they were two very very different persomances. I remember at the time thinking that Debi was robbed in the marks but I dont think her coach helped her when he put his fingers to his nose with the notion that the marks 'stinked'

    I also think she was maybe penalised for her choice of music, which MUST have been distracting to the some of the judges and also her body stocking (which by the way was way hotter than Witts 'stripogram' ensemble. Debi's cool

  • Did Debi's low marks here affect the final results? In other words if she had got the marks she deserved here could she have won the Silver eventually on the final night?

  • The stereotyping in these comments is unfortunate. Just because she decided to go with a certain style in her short programs doesn't mean that she has to be "locked" into that style - or that she should seen as only capable of that style. Her skating basics were very strong, so she was well-suited for classical, graceful programs - she had more versatile capabilities than some of you are giving her credit for.

  • My mistake: it should read: "...or that she should BE seen as only capable of that style."

    Really - Debi had some nice lines to her skating (i.e. gorgeous layback position) - it's not like she HAD to choose "modern" music all the time to compensate for weak areas.

  • I agree but I don't think Carmen suited Debi. I think perhaps Tosca did or something more powerful.

  • All these skaters look laughable compared to a Kwan or Arakawa.

  • Really? Kwan would love to have that double axel.

  • lol. yeah and all these skaters would love to be able to do a triple lutz or flip or a triple triple combination.

  • LOL! Debi had a fantastic triple-triple combination.

  • Liz Manley had a great triple lutz.

  • @clintcooper2003 You are of course aware that the greatest female jumper ever was at this competition-Midori Ito.

  • This music is atrocious. But great performance anyway.

  • She tried too hard to copy Witt. She isnt Witt, she is a different style of skater and had to go with that. Also trying to beat Witt at her own game she will always come up the loser.

  • Just because she used the same music doesn't mean that she was trying to copy Witt. Last time I looked, Witt didn't invent classicism & grace - & didn't hold the exclusive patent on this style of skating. And Debi's "Carmen" was decidedly different than Witt's - it was more straightforward & avoided the frills & dramatics of Witt's.

    And have you ever thought that Debi wanted "smoother" music for the LP - because skating to an upbeat, percussive number for LP can be too taxing & exhausting?

  • Debi is the best figure skater i've ever seen! To bad she faltered in the LP

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