Scott Manmoser, Team FSO Contributing Writer
Photo by Oksana Baiul-Farina, Getty Images by Clive Brunskill, David Madison, Pascal Rondeau/ALLSPORT
Oksana Baiul Farina remembers with great emotion two different moments that took place under bright lights. The first was when she took to the ice before winning the gold medal at the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer. The second time was when she gave birth to her daughter Sophia.
It's been 30 years since the 16-year-old from Dnipro, Ukraine, stole the world's heart.she The lake of swan The short program and free skate to the sounds of Broadway are two of the most iconic programs in figure skating history. Currently, the 46-year-old lives in Shreveport, Louisiana with her husband and her daughter, who will turn 9 later this year. 
“She likes artistic experiences. That's what makes her happy,” Baiul Farina said of her daughter in a phone interview. “And skating is one of them.”
This winter, Sophia had the opportunity to emulate her mother when a video surfaced of her family having their driveway flooded.
“It doesn't snow in Louisiana, but it did snow,” Baiul Farina added. “So she had fun putting on her skates and skating for a few days.”
Baiul Farina pointed out that Sofia was watching her mother's Olympic program just before Christmas this year. You're not the only one who watched her original performance on CBS in 1994. Nearly 80 million Americans watched as Baiul-Farina accomplished something foreign Olympians rarely do. She broke down the divide in mainstream American celebrity culture.
“It's been quite a journey,” she continued. “It was the most rewarding experience. Young skaters spend a lot of time on the ice rink, and so did I. I had a lot of fun doing what I was doing. I'm doing what I really love. I just felt that when the younger generation skates, it takes a lot of time, a lot of time, a lot of dedication to get to the national level, let alone the Olympic level. Masu.”
A new era in Lillehammer
At the 1992 Albertville Games, former Soviet Union countries competed under a unified team flag, but at Lillehammer, athletes from independent countries such as Ukraine and Belarus participated for the first time. Although Soviet pairs and ice dance teams have been dominant throughout history, gold medals in single skating remained elusive until Ukraine's Viktor Petrenko achieved it in 1992. Petrenko introduced Baiul Farina to coach Galina Zmiyevskaya, and they practiced together in Odessa, Ukraine. Shortly after, 15-year-old Baiul Farina won the world title in Prague in 1993. This was just two months after the newly formed Czech Republic became independent.
But despite her world title reign, the drama between America's Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding will overshadow Beiul Farina heading to Lillehammer.
“At the Olympics, a scandal broke out between Tonya and Nancy, but no one paid particular attention to me. Especially since I was already a world champion. I didn't think I could compete for an Olympic medal. I was just sharing my talent with people. When I got injured the day before, I had no idea if I would be able to heal. I said I would do it, but talk is cheap. I never actually tried it. I don't know. When I watched the video, right after I did the combination jump at the end, I raised my hands and said, “Thank you, God.'' That's when I started crying. Her mother died when I was 13 years old. I honestly believed that her mother was helping me from above. I also believe that many of the lessons we learn in life come from both good and bad experiences. ”
see the light
The Olympic Amphitheater in Hamar, Norway, pales in size compared to some of the arenas that host modern elite events. The venue, now called CC Amfi, has only 6,000 seats for him. But as you approach the rink, history wafts in the air.
“I remember walking into that building and being very confused,” Baiul Farina recalled. “Tonya was running from the ice towards the dressing room and the camera was running behind her. She was in the locker room so I decided to go into the men's locker room. I was confused. After the warm-up, I was skating third behind Nancy.
“I remember the lights in that building. It's not a big building. It's pretty small compared to when I was skating in the States. It's a 22,000-seat arena. The lights are pretty low on the ice, so it was very It was bright. The second time I saw that bright light when I gave birth to a baby. These are my two loves. The lights in that building and the birth of my daughter are two bright lights. For the first time in my life When I saw that light, I knew my life was going to change forever, but I can't pinpoint it. I know that feeling. That's how I felt when I entered the arena. I felt like I was stepping out on top, and if I could get through it, my life would change forever. ”
Breakthrough The lake of swan The costume is hidden in Baiul Farina's closet, and her gold medal is in a safe. Baiul Farina was unable to attend the opening and closing ceremonies, but said she enjoyed the Olympic Village. She pointed out that each country boasts its own local cuisine.
“Each country had its own section in the village,” she explained. “I loved eating there because there are so many different cuisines. In figure skating, you always have to watch your weight. After my injury, I never thought I would make it through. . I went to eat chicken feet. I felt very full and happy. I went home, put on my makeup, and went to the building.”
golden age of skating
Another unique aspect of the Lillehammer Games is that the rules were relaxed for the first time to allow for professional competition. Catalina Witt, Brian Boitano, as well as Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean all reunited on the Olympic ice. Baiul-Farina passionately shares her memories of competing with the athletes of her time, mentioning other athletes by name.
“After the Olympics, I know all of those people. And I've worked with a lot of skaters, and I can tell you now, 30 years later, that all of those skaters are very genuine.” They are the best in the business. They all brought a lot of things and a lot of changes to the world of figure skating. From that Olympics, many people still know many of their names. Figure Skating If you ask people who don't watch “Who do you know?'' these are the names that often come up. I feel like I hit the jackpot because I was young enough to compete in that Olympics. I have revolutionized the world of figure skating. I performed the swan performance that everyone wanted to imitate. Although the 1994 Olympics are portrayed as negative, they brought something very positive to the world of skating. ”
Today's figure skaters are achieving great heights in the sport while performing elements that were considered impossible in the 1990s. But it wasn't the quad that caught Baiul Farina's attention. For her, her artistry is paramount.
“The most important thing for young people is to be authentic,” she continued. When I watch figure skating, I'm not looking at who can do the most jumps. I was taught that figure skating is not figure jumping. Figure skating is about beauty, artistry, and history. There were many other great innovators before me. I love Jason Brown and they are the reason I watch figure skating. To be authentic. We have done our part in the world of figure skating, but instead of trying to be the same as we are now, try to be better than we are now. ”
The footage of Bayul-Farina from Lillehammer will last forever. Although the world has changed, her name still has a symbolic value that cannot be bought.
