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Kyoko Ina

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Kyoko Ina
Ina and Zimmerman in 2001.
Born (1972-10-11) October 11, 1972 (age 52)
Tokyo, Japan
Height1.52 m (5 ft 0 in)
Figure skating career
Country United States
PartnerJohn Zimmerman
Skating clubSC of New York
Retired2002
Medal record
Representing  United States
Pairs' Figure skating
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Nagano Pairs
Four Continents Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2001 Salt Lake City Pairs
Silver medal – second place 2000 Osaka Pairs

Kyoko Ina (伊奈 恭子, Ina Kyōko, born October 11, 1972) is an American figure skater. With partner John Zimmerman, she is the 2002 World bronze medalist and a three-time (2000–2002) U.S. national champion. The pair also competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics. With previous partner Jason Dungjen, Ina was a two-time (1997 & 1998) U.S. champion and competed at the 1994 and 1998 Olympics.

Personal life

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Kyoko Ina was born in Tokyo, Japan and raised in New York.[1] Her grandfather, Katsuo Okazaki, was an Olympic runner (and Japanese Foreign Minister between 1952 and 1954), her grandmother, Shimako Okazaki, was a tennis player, and her mother, Yoshi Ina, competed as a swimmer and a sculler.[2]

Skating career

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Ina started skating at the rink at Rockefeller Center at the age of three or four.[2] She skated singles and pairs for Japan in the Junior ranks, but eventually decided to compete solely for the United States.

Her first American partnership was with Jason Dungjen from 1991 to 1998, under the coaching of Peter Burrows and Marylynn Gelderman in Monsey, New York. They placed 4th at the 1998 Winter Olympics but withdrew from the 1998 World Championships after an accident during a practice session – while practicing a triple twist, Ina's arm hit Dungjen's forehead, fracturing the browbone above his right eye.[3] Their partnership ended following that season.[4]

Ina teamed up with John Zimmerman in 1998.[1] Initially, they were coached by Peter Burrows and Mary Lynn Gelderman in Monsey, New York and they also commuted to Stamford, Connecticut, to work with Tamara Moskvina.[4] They later trained under Moskvina and Igor Moskvin in Hackensack, New Jersey.[5]

Ina and Zimmerman are able to capitalize on their height difference and perform various difficult lifts. They won three U.S. Championships and competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics. They won the bronze medal at the 2002 World Championships.

Ina had not yet turned professional when, on July 18, 2002, the USADA chose to perform an out-of-competition doping test on her. The agent came to her home for an unscheduled test at 10:30 at night. Ina stated that she could not produce the urine sample because she had already prepared to go to sleep.[6] Ina was led to believe by the agent that the test could be rescheduled for the following day,[7] but she was later charged with refusing to take a doping test. She was suspended by the USADA because of this and faced fines. Despite what had been reported, Ina never faced suspension from the International Skating Union because the refused test was a national out of competition test.[8] Ina's case was further complicated because it was not clear at the time if she had or had not officially retired from competition at the time of the attempted test.[9] Ina eventually filed a case with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but later withdrew it. In the end, Ina accepted a two-year sanction from the USADA.[9]

Ina and Zimmerman skated with the Stars on Ice tour for many years. In 2010, Ina competed in the second season of the Canadian reality competition Battle of the Blades partnered with retired NHL player Kelly Chase.

Ina currently coaches in New York.

Ina was inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2018.[10][11]

Programs

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With Zimmerman

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Season Short program Free skating
2001–02
[5]
2000–01
[12]
  • Truman Show

With Dungjen

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Season Short program Free skating
1997–98
1996–97
1995-96 Slaughter on 10th Avenue

Competitive history

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GP: Champions Series / Grand Prix

Pair skating with Zimmerman

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International[13]
Event 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02
Olympics 5th
Worlds 9th 7th 7th 3rd
Four Continents 2nd 3rd
GP Final 5th 4th
GP Cup of Russia 3rd 4th
GP Lalique 2nd 4th 3rd 2nd
GP Skate America 5th 5th 4th 2nd
GP Skate Canada 2nd
GP Sparkassen 2nd
National[13]
U.S. Champ. 2nd 1st 1st 1st

Pair skating with Dungjen

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International[14][15]
Event 91–92 92–93 93–94 94–95 95–96 96–97 97–98
Olympics 9th 4th
Worlds 12th 8th 6th 4th
GP Lalique 5th 6th
GP Nations Cup 2nd 3rd 4th 3rd
GP NHK Trophy 4th 3rd
GP Skate America 2nd 5th 4th 2nd
GP Skate Canada 3rd
Continents Cup 2nd
Piruetten 3rd
Schäfer Memorial 1st
National[14]
U.S. Champ. 7th 5th 2nd 2nd 2nd 1st 1st

Single skating for the United States

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International[16]
Event 88–89 89–90 90–91 91–92 92–93 94–95 96–97
World Junior Championships 5th
NHK Trophy 6th
Nebelhorn 1st
National[16]
U.S. Champ. 1st J 7th 8th 10th 4th 11th
J = Junior level

Single skating for Japan

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Event 1986–87
World Junior Championships 8th
Japanese Junior Championships 1st

References

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  1. ^ a b Roberts, Selena (January 7, 2002). "FIGURE SKATING; Ina and Zimmerman Melt Ice in Melting Pot". The New York Times.
  2. ^ a b Pucin, Diane (February 7, 1998). "Welcoming The World For Ina, A Home Away From Home". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on June 16, 2014.
  3. ^ "American pairs champions withdraw from worlds". canoe.ca. Associated Press. March 30, 1998. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ^ a b Mittan, J. Barry (1998). "Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman". Archived from the original on January 11, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ^ a b "Kyoko INA / John ZIMMERMAN: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 2, 2002.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ Rosewater, Amy (October 26, 2002). "PLUS: FIGURE SKATING; Ina Suspended For Not Taking Test". The New York Times.
  7. ^ Hiltzik, Michael A. (December 11, 2006). "Athletes see doping case appeals as futile exercise". Los Angeles Times.
  8. ^ "ISU Comment On U.S. Anti-Doping Agency Case". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on September 4, 2003.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ^ a b "Sanction Modified in Kyoko Ina USADA Case". U.S. Figure Skating. Archived from the original on August 19, 2004.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. ^ Halonen, Lena; Jangbro, Eva Maria (December 5, 2011). "Kyoko Ina: "I don't think anyone ever really commits to coaching, it just sort of happens."". Absolute Skating. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
  11. ^ Weiss, Ina/Zimmerman make figure skating Hall of Fame AP News, 1 December 2017.
  12. ^ "Kyoko INA / John ZIMMERMAN: 2000/2001". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 20, 2001.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  13. ^ a b "Kyoko INA / John ZIMMERMAN". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on January 27, 2017.
  14. ^ a b "Kyoko INA / Jason DUNGJEN". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on January 29, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  15. ^ "Kyoko Ina & Jason Dungjen". Pairs on Ice. Archived from the original on April 2, 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  16. ^ a b "Kyoko INA". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on January 29, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
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Media related to Kyoko Ina at Wikimedia Commons

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