Debi Thomas

Debi Thomas
Debra Janine Thomasis an American former figure skater and physician. She is the 1986 World champion, the 1988 Olympic bronze medalist, and a two-time U.S. national champion. Her rivalry with East Germany's Katarina Witt at the 1988 Calgary Olympics was known as the Battle of the Carmens...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionFigure Skater
Date of Birth25 March 1967
CityPoughkeepsie, NY
CountryUnited States of America
american-athlete gold meant national needed olympic shot
Plus, it also meant a lot because it was the Olympic year, and if I wanted a shot at Olympic gold I needed to be national champion.
babies ball brought coming difference fruits grown helped incredible men people sat six somebody taking watched
We helped them unload and while they were here all of the people were coming in and getting meals. We let them go through the stuff, so these six men got to see the fruits of their labor. It was the most incredible thing because we sat and watched six grown men ball like babies as they watched the people taking the things that they had brought and making a difference in somebody else's life.
persistence accomplish pure
You can accomplish anything with pure persistence and drive.
ice
I just thought that it was magical having to glide across the ice.
doctors long remember
For as long as I can really remember, I wanted to be a doctor.
sports names skating
It is great to be a part of the whole skating family, and it makes me feel ecstatic that my name will be among the greats of the sport.
heart emotional skating
My skating is a very emotional thing that comes from the heart, never doing it for the medal.
success mean perfect
Just because you didn't start out perfect doesn't mean you can't have an excellent result in the end.
stupid people african-american
I tell people I'm too stupid to...
motivational moving athlete
What was most important to me at the Olympics was going out there and performing my best. When I messed up the first jump combination, which was my big move, it hit me that I messed up the program of my life.
motivational athlete winter
I got a bronze medal and I can't complain about that, the only African-American to get a medal in the Winter Olympics.
real life-changing firsts
Probably the '86 nationals. That was my first real national title and first real statement I ever made in figure skating, and my life changed after I returned.
softball sports motivation
My advice is that going to the Olympics and winning a gold medal are great goals, but the real goal should be to be the best that you can be.
medicine
I am not really sure how I got interested in medicine.