Caroline Zhang

Caroline Zhao Zhang (born May 20, 1993) is an American figure skater. She is a two-time (2010 and 2012) Four Continents bronze medalist, the 2007 World Junior Champion, the 2006 Junior Grand Prix Final champion, and a three-time U.S. national medalist (bronze in 2009, pewter in 2008 and 2012).

Personal life Caroline Zhang was born on May 20, 1993, in Boston, Massachusetts. Her parents are from Wuhan, China, and her older sister, Yang Yang, was born in China. Caroline is bilingual in English and Mandarin. The Chinese media refers to her by her Chinese given name, Yuanyuan (, which means "round-round"). She moved to California at a young age. They married on August 18, 2018 and have two daughters, born 2021 and 2024 .

As of February 2017, she was a student at Cerritos College in California. fifty-three points. She went on to win her second event by thirty-three points and then the Junior Grand Prix Final by twenty. Zhang became known for her creative spin positions, musicality and spiral extension, prompting comparisons to Sasha Cohen and Michelle Kwan by those in the figure skating community, including international judge Joe Inman.

Qualifying for the Junior Grand Prix Final qualified her for the 2007 U.S. Championships without having to qualify through her regional or sectional championships. Competing on the Junior level, Zhang won the silver medal behind Mirai Nagasu. Zhang was named to the U.S. team to the 2007 World Junior Championships, where she beat Nagasu to win the title. Zhang, Nagasu, and Ashley Wagner completed the first ever sweep by the United States of the World Junior ladies podium.

2007–08 season

For the 2007–08 season, Zhang moved up to the senior level both nationally and internationally. She made her Grand Prix of Figure Skating debut at the 2007 Skate America, where she won the bronze medal. At this competition, she earned a level 4 and a +3 Grade of Execution for her trademark Pearl spin, which is the highest score a skater can receive under Code of Points. Zhang received deductions for underrotating jumps, costing her 17 points overall. Zhang went on to the 2007 Cup of China, where she received fewer deductions and won the silver medal. She earned 24 qualification points in the Grand Prix series. Following the result of 2007 NHK Trophy, she qualified for the Grand Prix Final, where she placed 2nd in the short program and fourth overall. She was the fourth World Junior Champion in a row to qualify for the Grand Prix Final in her first Grand Prix season.

Zhang had a bye through her regional championship due to Skate America and a bye through her sectional championship due to Cup of China. She made her senior national debut at the 2008 U.S. Championships, where she won the pewter medal. Zhang was placed on the U.S. team for the 2008 World Junior Championships, where she won the silver medal behind Rachael Flatt. With Mirai Nagasu taking the bronze, this was the second ever U.S. sweep of the World Juniors ladies podium.

2008–09 season In the 2008–09 season, Zhang competed for the second consecutive season on the Grand Prix. At her first event, the 2008 Skate Canada International, she placed third in the short program with a score of 53.28 after falling on her opening jump combination. She placed 5th in the free skate with a score of 97.52, after falling on one jump and omitting another, to place 5th overall. At the 2008 Trophée Eric Bompard, her second Grand Prix assignment, Zhang placed third in the short program with a score of 51.76 after omitting the required double Axel as well as receiving a Level 1 on her spiral sequence. Zhang scored 104.78 in the long program after receiving a downgrade on her triple flip-triple toe combination, as well as a deduction for a wrong edge take-off on her triple Lutz-double toe. She earned a Level 4 on all three of her spins and her spiral sequence. She scored 156.54 overall and won the bronze medal.

At the 2009 U.S. Championships, Zhang won the bronze medal, moving up one position from the previous year. She was placed on the teams to the 2009 Four Continents Championships and the 2009 World Junior Championships. She made her senior ISU Championships debut at the Four Continents Championships, where she placed 4th. She won the silver medal at the World Junior Championships.

On June 15, 2009, Zhang announced a coaching change to Charlene Wong. She placed 5th in the short program with a score of 55.10 points after the triple flip in her triple flip-double toe loop combination was downgraded. In the free skate, she completed five triple jumps and earned level fours on all her spins and her spiral sequence to earn 105.68 points. Zhang placed 3rd in the free skate and won the bronze medal overall with 160.78 points.

On July 20, 2010, Zhang announced a coaching change to Tammy Gambill. She placed 7th in the 2010 NHK Trophy with 133.86 points and 9th at the 2010 Skate America with 132.49. Zhang competed at the 2011 US Nationals and finished 12th with an overall score of 140.95.

In January 2011, Zhang began training with Peter Oppegard. After the event, she began to self-coach, saying that she did not want her coach to feel responsible when she skated poorly. She trains in Artesia, California, at the East West Ice Palace, an ice rink owned by the Kwan family.

Zhang finished 19th at the 2014 U.S. Championships.

2014–15 season Zhang began her season by finishing 3rd at the Southwest Pacific Regionals. She then went on to place 4th at the Pacific Coast Sectionals. This result qualified her to compete at the 2015 U.S. Figure Skating Championships where she finished 17th after placing 13th in the short program with a score of 55.40 and 19th in the freeskate with a score of 88.60, and a total score of 144.00.

2015–16 season In order to correct congenital hip dysplasia, Zhang underwent periacetabular osteotomy on March 3, 2015, and was able to resume skating in spring 2016.

2016–17 season Caroline Zhang finished third at the Glacier Falls summer competition and first at the Golden West Championships summer competition. She placed 5th at the 2017 U.S. Championships, coached by Oppegard in Artesia, California.

Zhang also performs a hyper-extended Biellmann spin. She is one of several young skaters to perform this move. In this variation, the leg is pulled straight up in the air and the back bent as far into the spin as possible. Zhang is able to perform the spin with her free leg pulled straight up into the air, with very little knee bend, making the spin look closer to a capital-I position than the usual Biellmann teardrop shape. She has received a straight +3.00 grade of execution for her layback spin.

Programs Zhang performs an arabesque spiral during her Ave Maria free skate at the 2009 Four Continents Championships. Season Short program Free skating Exhibition 2017–2018 East of Eden Gabriel's Oboe Dante's Prayer 2016–2017 The Swan Nella Fantasia 2014–2015

The Phantom of the Opera I Dreamed a Dream 2013–2014 Butterfly Lovers' Violin Concerto 2012–2013

The Rushing Wings of Dawn Nessun dorma 2011–2012

Cello Concerto in B Minor Defying Gravity 2010–2011 Libertango 2009–2010 Zigeunerweisen Pas de deux Lullaby for a Stormy Night

In This Song

The Climb 2008–2009