Jeremy Abbott is competing in the Winter Olympics 2010 in Vancouver in figure skating.
Career Highlights
Two-time U.S. champion, 2009 Grand Prix Final champion
2009-10 Music
Short Program: "A Day in the Life" by the Beatles, performed by Jeff Beck
Free Skate: "Jupiter" from "The Planets" suite by Gustav Holst and "Pines of Rome" by Ottorino Respighi
Jeremy Abbott won his second U.S. title in convincing fashion in Spokane, firmly establishing himself as a Vancouver medal threat. His flawless
Described by Jeremy Abbott himself as a "letdown," his 11th-place finish at Worlds was not what most expected from the reigning national and Grand Prix Final champion. Two major jumping mistakes in the short program and four more in the free skate, and Jeremy was unable to improve on his 11th-place finish in 2008. "I didn't feel as confident as I did at the beginning of the season," Abbott explains.
Abbott said his goal for the 2008-09 Grand Prix season was just to make the final. But he far exceeded his expectations, beating Canadian Patrick Chan, Japan's Takahiko Kozuka and American Johnny Weir to become the first U.S. man to win the final. Given his newly minted status as one of the top skaters in the world, Abbott was all the talk leading into the 2009 Nationals. "People were really expecting me to win [nationals]," he said. "To have that pressure was something that I've never felt before." Abbott delivered a clean short program, giving him the lead over two-time and defending champion Evan Lysacek. Despite making several mistakes during the free skate, Abbott easily won the U.S. title, which he described as more of a "relief" than anything else.
In May 2009, Abbott made a major coaching change and left a 10-year collaboration with Tom Zakrajsek in Colorado Springs to work with 1994 world champion Yuka Sato in Detroit. Zakrajsek also coaches U.S. silver medalist Brandon Mroz, Ryan Bradley and ladies silver medalist Rachael Flatt, in addition to U.S. junior ladies champion Alexe Giles.
Only in figure skating: Abbott's coach, 1994 world champion Yuka Sato, does choreography for Japan's Takahiko Kozuka, who regularly competes against Abbott. Sato's parents, former Japanese champions themselves, are Kozuka's current coaches.
1992 Olympic silver medalist Paul Wylie is Abbott's mentor. Abbott says that Wylie gives him different ways to think about things. He tries to talk with Wylie on a weekly basis, getting advice on technique, his overall look and his mental approach. "He told me to give myself permission to succeed," Abbott says.
Before winning junior nationals in 2005, Abbott said about his chances, "Stranger things could happen; Pigs could fly!" Abbott's family and friends adopted the phrase into a fan club (which also has a Korean-based group) and has established the Jeremy Abbott Training Fund for boys, which defrays costs for young skaters. "I'm really proud of what it's become and the community has really embraced it and it's grown," Abbott said. "I would love to see it grow into something even more. I think that would be phenomenal." Abbott's friends, family and fans wear and sell flying pig pins as part of their fundraising efforts.
Abbott started skating at age two, but his real interest came a few years later, after watching 1980 Olympic champion Robin Cousins in a show. Cousins is also the skater Abbott most looks up to and would like to meet him some day. Abbott was also a gymnast until age 12, but has said that it wasn't really "his sport."
Career Highlights
Two-time U.S. champion, 2009 Grand Prix Final champion
2009-10 Music
Short Program: "A Day in the Life" by the Beatles, performed by Jeff Beck
Free Skate: "Jupiter" from "The Planets" suite by Gustav Holst and "Pines of Rome" by Ottorino Respighi
Jeremy Abbott won his second U.S. title in convincing fashion in Spokane, firmly establishing himself as a Vancouver medal threat. His flawless
free skate included a quad, and he easily defeated second-place Evan Lysacek by about 25 points.
Described by Jeremy Abbott himself as a "letdown," his 11th-place finish at Worlds was not what most expected from the reigning national and Grand Prix Final champion. Two major jumping mistakes in the short program and four more in the free skate, and Jeremy was unable to improve on his 11th-place finish in 2008. "I didn't feel as confident as I did at the beginning of the season," Abbott explains.
Abbott said his goal for the 2008-09 Grand Prix season was just to make the final. But he far exceeded his expectations, beating Canadian Patrick Chan, Japan's Takahiko Kozuka and American Johnny Weir to become the first U.S. man to win the final. Given his newly minted status as one of the top skaters in the world, Abbott was all the talk leading into the 2009 Nationals. "People were really expecting me to win [nationals]," he said. "To have that pressure was something that I've never felt before." Abbott delivered a clean short program, giving him the lead over two-time and defending champion Evan Lysacek. Despite making several mistakes during the free skate, Abbott easily won the U.S. title, which he described as more of a "relief" than anything else.
In May 2009, Abbott made a major coaching change and left a 10-year collaboration with Tom Zakrajsek in Colorado Springs to work with 1994 world champion Yuka Sato in Detroit. Zakrajsek also coaches U.S. silver medalist Brandon Mroz, Ryan Bradley and ladies silver medalist Rachael Flatt, in addition to U.S. junior ladies champion Alexe Giles.
Only in figure skating: Abbott's coach, 1994 world champion Yuka Sato, does choreography for Japan's Takahiko Kozuka, who regularly competes against Abbott. Sato's parents, former Japanese champions themselves, are Kozuka's current coaches.
1992 Olympic silver medalist Paul Wylie is Abbott's mentor. Abbott says that Wylie gives him different ways to think about things. He tries to talk with Wylie on a weekly basis, getting advice on technique, his overall look and his mental approach. "He told me to give myself permission to succeed," Abbott says.
Before winning junior nationals in 2005, Abbott said about his chances, "Stranger things could happen; Pigs could fly!" Abbott's family and friends adopted the phrase into a fan club (which also has a Korean-based group) and has established the Jeremy Abbott Training Fund for boys, which defrays costs for young skaters. "I'm really proud of what it's become and the community has really embraced it and it's grown," Abbott said. "I would love to see it grow into something even more. I think that would be phenomenal." Abbott's friends, family and fans wear and sell flying pig pins as part of their fundraising efforts.
Abbott started skating at age two, but his real interest came a few years later, after watching 1980 Olympic champion Robin Cousins in a show. Cousins is also the skater Abbott most looks up to and would like to meet him some day. Abbott was also a gymnast until age 12, but has said that it wasn't really "his sport."
Check out Jeremy Abbott hot pics and Jeremy Abbott sexy photos.
Jeremy Abbott shirtless Jeremy Abbott shirtless Jeremy Abbott shirtless Jeremy Abbott Jeremy Abbott Jeremy Abbott Pictures
SEE ALL JEREMY ABBOTT PICTURES (6)