Debi Thomas - 1987 Skate Canada Long Program

[MrOu83]

I don't think Kati's intimidationtactics really phased Debi. She predicted that she would beat Katarina at her own game at the 86 World, and she did. Katarina used similar tactics at group practices. I was at the 87 Worlds in Cincy. When another skaters music was being played for her to run through her routine while other skater stayed out the way, Kati would create moves to that skater's music. She would really show off. She was a number. Debi seemed to totally ignore her , however.

[MrOu83]

Katarina may have had the pressure of the East German authorities on her shouler, but she did not have the pressure of attending an elite, academically rigorous university such as Stanford while also pursuing skating. Debi also had the pressure of her country on her shoulder, especially being the first African American to achieve such elite status in a traditionally white sport.

[MrOu83]

@auamarine - What do you mean "Minority with no role model'? Obviously Debi is a minoty in this country. But, are you saying sh had no role models? I hope that's not the case. Debi had plenty of role models in lie (not just in the skating arena), some of them were black. Debi comes from a family of college-educated folks, some with advanced degrees, incl. her mother. One her relatives is an MIT graduate.  Don't suggest that she is some poor little minority, because she wasn't.

[MrOu83]

Maybe Katarina slept with the female judges?  I'm just sayin'.

[safehaven11]

Lovely program.

[barkingtree88]

Interesting that Carmen was so rare back then... It's so overused now adays.

[BroMyGodFilms]

Never saw this either! Thank you for posting!

[rickram1961]

I believe rendition of Debi Thomas "Carmen" is far better than Witt's more theatrical version of "Carmen" . Just my thoughts!

[hmorganman]

Of all the Olympic athletes, female figure skaters bring grace, style, and elegance to their presentation. Fans dont see the grueling and rigorous training that it takes to combine advanced cardiovascular conditioning and classical dance. Finally, all this must be told in a short story on ice! The female figure skater elevates us to a higher level of consciousness. Debi Thomas was the personification of perfect feminine beauty who mastered this elegant art form.

[TheHoopify]

Brilliant Debi program!

[piano6861]

Great!

[ffartisan]

I couldn't stand Elizabeth Manley. She was always so juvenile

[aquamarineye]

Watching this makes me remember how fantastic she was!

I understand she's a doctor now.This lady was such a champion in so many ways!

[wegersfour]

@aquamarineye Yes she is a Doctor now, about 45 minutes from the town I

live in. She was at her best before she let all the pressure of the Olympics in

1988.

[aquamarineye]

thank you for posting this.Never saw it.Great job Debi!

[CosmicSpeck]

This program was better than all of Witt's performances that competitive season.Strong at Figures with beautiful line and near-perfect textbook jumps & spins, Debi was so great!

I remember seeing Witt's sloppy, second rate performances at all the other competitions that seanson leading up to the Olympics and thinking she was past it.And her sexy, slinky Short Program costume-a desperate bid at diversion (look at my body not my skating!)

Debi really was better.

[aquamarineeyes]

LONG LIVE QUEEN KATARINA!

[starkat139]

But now she's a former queen.What happened to her?Isn't she retired now?Is she coaching?I hope so.

[rickram1961]

I have always loved Debi's interpretation of Carmen!

[geocruzer80]

a beautiful program!!! wonderful interpretation of "Carmen" by Debi.

[CosmicSpeck]

I love both Debi and Katarina. Here, Debi is showing her great exuberance and commanding performance style! She also nailed it at the 88 Nationals and if she would've done the same long program at the Olympics she'd have been the champion. I love Katarina too, but I do think Debi's Carmen had more substance, technique and real style as a skater. Katarina--a little too posy and slow--but she won and deserved it.

[wegersfour]

I agree with you. If she would have done

this program at Calgary in 1988, she would

have been the Olympic/World champ that year.

Katarina was too posy and she was an actress

on ice, but if figures would not been included

Manly would have probably won Gold. Ito

of Japan may have won. It was fortunate, that

figures was still in competition at this time.

[aquamarineeyes]

We all have differences of opinion which is a good thing. Some prefer Debi's version of Carmen, others prefer Katarina'a version. On the night of the Olympic competition Katarina's version helped her win over the judges more which resulted in an Olympic Gold medal.

[bendonna]

Kat won because Midori was underscored and Debi choked. Her Olympic performance was very beatable. None the less she won and will never be forgotten. She, unlike you is unforgettable.

[aquamarineeyes]

if that is your best response, give it up virgin boy! lol! LONG LIVE KATARINA!!!

[bendonna]

lol, funny you think I am a virgin, or how me being a skater makes me a virgin....cause kat sure isnt.

[aquamarineeyes]

& neither am I virgin boy! Come on your obvious virginity is ripping outta u big time! lol!

P.S. My beautiful wife & I are expecting our second child. Ahh life is good!

[bendonna]

Well, I guess I am a virgin, since you seem to think you are right all the time (and wrong about skating) I take that as a compliment. Whats really funny is I'm crazy about Katarina Witt, I just liked Jill and Debi better in that era. And as far as your second child, I will not post what I was going to, because even I am not that evil.

[aquamarineeyes]

You might not be that evil............but the intent was there! You type of people are a danger to a civilized society. I would NEVER let my kids anywhere near the likes of you! How you could harbor evil thoughts regarding an unborn child is sickening truellt sickening!!! May God forgive you!

[bendonna]

Seriously dude, if you have a problem with deal with it not in posts, its getting ridiculous, and others don't need to read it, it has nothing to do with skating.

[aquamarineeyes]

So WHY THE FUCK do you harbor nasty evil thoughts about my unborn child??? How nasty an individual are you? People like you should be avoided AT ALL COSTS !!!

[PishPosh99]

I love this program. A million times better than Katarina's version...style, athleticism, polish..wonderful!

[lexlib]

certainly. this program is not about posing and actaully showing real choreography and technicality. Kat's though a nice program, is safe, and all about poses and the costume.

[serenakicksass]

Such a beautiful performance. I agree had she done this in Calgary she would be Olympic Champion. Remember she had 4 triples here like Witt did in Calgary but a triple-triple and a triple loop, which both give it much harder jump content then Witt who only did toes and sals and no big combination. Artistically she would atleast get all 5.8s, so even with Witt all 5.9s almost that would be enough to win with the tech. mark being the tiebreak.

[skaterfan1]

some of the tit for tat...back and forth comments have been very entertaining. My son is at kindy, it may be an education for him and his classmates!

[kangaroosbraun]

Debi's 1988 short programme was the best ever in the history of the sport. Debi was a much better athlete than Katty (The name suits her) and Katty also did used to also sit at the front and intimidate her opponents

[wegersfour]

If Debi would have done this in the Olympic

Games, she would have very, very close to

winning the Gold Medal in 1988. She did do

something, that no one else could do. She

beat the reigning Olympic and World CHampion

Katarina Witt. Debi should never hang her

head down on that night. To me, she is still

great. I still love watching her skate.

She had a very classy way about her.

[aquamarineeyes]

Terrible programme!!!

[rickram1961]

By far one of very best female figure skaters in US history. I have always appreciated Debi's artistry.

[bendonna]

yes debi was very artistic, very strong basic skating skill and very nice positions and lines...this program really showed a lot of her strengths off.

[AlexYvesMartin]

I like her always have, but even here where she skates a lot better then at the Olympics, she just skates so badly to this music that nothing comes a cross. She needed more athletic music. Oh well she never was a champion....

[HagMD69]

The problem is she double footed the 2nd triple toe in the combination. The commentators didn't even mention it.

[mauigirl294]

I LOVE DEBI THOMAS! She is such a great skater. She jumps so high!!!! Gotta luv her!!!!!

[metsdudenj]

yes, but under pressure it wouldnt have been consistent, she was very consistent with that combo and still would have had more difficulty than Witt. And since she was very strong in the other two fases, it would have been enough to win.

[pedestrian0]

Who are these announcers! Their voices -- oy!!!

[skatesindreams]

The annoucers were Debbi Wilkes, Johnny Esaw, and the late Brian Pockar, from Canadian television.

[MissFit29]

Actually, I think it was Toller Cranston.

[delayedricochet]

You could see that she had it all to win gold in Calgary. It just depended on what happened that night. She has this appeal, poise, grace and athleticism all at once. The errors and nerves in Calgary held her back. If done this way, it was much ideal compared to Witt. Also a plus was that Thomas was not posing on the spot but instead skating throughout the routine.

[plane1707]

Wow! Free from (most of) the mistakes that marred her performances at nationals, Olympics and worlds, you can really tell what a lovely routine this was. It's light years ahead of the program Debi had skated the previous two seasons. Thanks for posting this!

[bendonna]

absolutely, this was a completely different skater, she was very balletic, expressive and artistic, and trained

[ft192]

This was the best free skate she ever did !!!!!

[grafgirl27]

It was very nice. It was atleast equal to her U.S Nationals performance.

[bendonna]

I think this would have won the Olympics, even though she doubled, the rest was clean, and she was really on.

[Yesimustbestupid]

I was thinking the exact same thing! I've never seen this performance (back in the 1980's, these pre-U.S. National skating competitions weren't on much on TV, as they later would be when they became part of the Grand Prix events), but this performance would have definitely won Debi the 1988 Olympic Gold medal (because in Calgary, Katarina didn't do anything that spectacular in her LP).

[bendonna]

I agree, skating last in front of a Canadian crowd, feeding off Liz Manley's performance (it was clear Katarina was beatable because Liz did it)...I think debi would have probably been second in the long with this, which would have been 2-2-2 and 1st over-all...

[metsdudenj]

I think she should have changed that opening to a double axel triple toe combo, that way shed have a great combo and could use the triple toe later on in the program. she opened with that in the 85 season and never missed it!

[bendonna]

A triple triple back then was rare and worth a lot more, and she did it well until the Olympics...and she was trying to get triple flip in the program as well, if she had, she would have really been superior

[zecrazygerman]

that is a lot of ifs, isn´t it? Witt had done triple loops and triple flips in the past, she chose not to do them anymore mainly because Debi was so shaky when it came to competitions.

[bendonna]

I don't think Kat did them because she wasn't consistent with them in competition, I don't think it had much to do with what Thomas was doing.

[twilliger123]

Yes, bendonna, I agree totally with that, she would obsess with whoever was her closest competitor, then stand right at the boards or sit in the front row to rattle them at big competitions, which I found very offensive and took away from her wins, in my opinion, because she felt she had to do that to win.

[zecrazygerman]

Yes, Katarina is the worst human-being there is. Rumour is that she slept with the judges so that she could beat Debi. And she already had the Eastern-Bloc mafia behind her! I wonder why Reagan didn´t bomb her little apartment in Karl-Marx-Stadt. I guess he was scared Jutta Mueller might get revenge and put lots of butch-looking East German women at the ice rink that would point at the American skaters.

[twilliger123]

You both are idiots!

[aquamarineeyes]

zecrazygerman u have struck a chord with me & thank u for exposing such an idit in twiilstick !!! pmsl !!! Katarina 4eva!!

[metsdudenj]

arent most figure skating judges gay anyway? how many could cunterina sleep with?

[twilliger123]

Not the European ones, most of the American ones...LOL.

[aquamarineeyes]

the difference between Katarina & Debi was that Katarina was a leader whereas Debi was a follower especially trailing behind the star of the magesty of Witt. I always found Debi rather laborious & cumbersome on the ice.

[bendonna]

no the difference is debi was taking a full load in school and wanted to be a doctor, which she is now. I just saw stars on ice with debi, she is very remembered and still very popular.

[bendonna]

and personally knowing her, debi is anything but a follower, she is the most driven human being I have ever met.

[aquamarineeyes]

of course she is very well remembered & loved just the way good stars always are. she had pressure on her durign her career but so did Katarina with the whole expectation of a very determined East German government on her shoulders on her. who knows what would've happened to her if she hadn't won. Katarina never had the freedom the way Debi had. nonetheless, 2 great skaters who will be fondly remembered x

[bendonna]

She probably wouldnt have been allowed to be professional, it would have been a shame.

[aquamarineeyes]

for sure. in a way i has worked out very well for both Debi & Katarina as they are both very happy & contented in their private lives. I often speak to my 5 year old son about what it means to be a star & how hard it is to get there. He looks up at me & smiles & says "dad, am I a star?" - I look down & say "of course u r my boy"....ahhhhh life is good.

[visceraltuning]

It depends on your definition of freedom.

Ethnic Majority Icon with all expenses paid Under a Totalitarian Regime

VS

Ethnic Minority with No Role Model, Political Connections and few resources.

[aquamarineeyes]

I dont think that is a fair analogy to make as Katarina had no choice but to skate to get herself out of her desperate situation whereas Debi had other means to find her way in life. Majority Icon & Minority with no role model have done well for themselves nonetheless.

[bendonna]

a triple triple was gusty back then, but she did hit it (until the Olympics) so I don't think it was a bad idea, but her double axel triple toe was also very good