Debi Thomas

Debra Janine Thomas (born March 25, 1967) is an American 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.

Early life Thomas was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, and grew up in San Jose, California. Her parents divorced when she was young. Her mother worked as a computer programming analyst in Sunnyvale, California. She attributes most of her success to her mother who sacrificed to drive her over 100 miles a day between home, school, and the ice rink.

As a young child, Thomas was coached by Barbara Toigo Vitkovits at Eastridge Mall in San Jose. The eighteen-year-old won the short program and landed four triple jumps to place second in the long program, enough to win the overall competition. Thomas had also won the U.S. national title besides the World Championship that year; these achievements earned Thomas the ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year award that year. She was the first female athlete to win those titles while attending college full-time since Tenley Albright in the 1950s. She was the first African-American to hold U.S. National titles in ladies' singles figure skating.

In 1987, Thomas suffered with Achilles tendinitis in both ankles and struggled at the U.S. Nationals, placing second to Jill Trenary. Thomas' Carmen program consisted of "big powerful jumps", fast spins in strong positions, Spanish steps that were sharply accented, an uplifted torso, and straight, clean lines as expressed in her arms and legs. According to figure skater writer and historian Ellyn Kestnbaum, Thomas presented in her program an outer-directed focus and the image of a powerful and confident woman "taking command of the space around her by moving forth into it". The second triple was not perfect and by her own admission, Thomas gave up on the rest of the program.

Thomas won the bronze medal at the 1988 World Championships and then retired from amateur skating. She performed for Stars on Ice and won the 1988 World Professional Championships in Landover, Maryland. She placed second in the ladies figure championship and seventh in ladies fancy skating.

Medical career Thomas expressed interest in becoming a doctor from an early age.

As of December 2010, Thomas was in private practice at ORTHO X-cellence Debra J. Thomas, MD, PC in Richlands, Virginia, which had ceased operations as of 2016.

Thomas was diagnosed with bipolar disorder by April 2012.

Thomas currently lives and trains in Florida.

Programs Season Short program Free skating Exhibition 1987–1988 Something in My House Carmen

Competitive highlights Amateur career International Event 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 Winter Olympics 3rd World Champ. 5th 1st 2nd 3rd Skate America 1st Skate Canada 1st NHK Trophy 2nd St. Ivel 1st Nebelhorn Trophy 1st St. Gervais 1st National U.S. Champ. 13th 6th 2nd 1st 2nd 1st

Professional career Event 1988 1989 1991 World Professional Championships 1st 1st 1st