Robin Cousins

retired= 1980 (amateur), 1997 (professional) show_medals = yes medal_templates=

Robin John Cousins (born 17 August 1957) is a British former competitive figure skater who was BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1980. He was the 1980 Olympic champion, the 1980 European champion, a three-time World medalist (1978–1980) and four-time British national champion (1977–1980), winning all of these titles during his amateur career. He followed this with a successful career as a professional figure skater and later starred in ice shows as well as producing several of his own. He is able to spin in either direction, both clockwise and anti-clockwise,

Cousins first stepped onto the ice at age six at Westover Road Ice Rink while on holiday in Bournemouth.

Cousins represented the United Kingdom as an amateur figure skater for eight years. He won the British National Senior Championships for four consecutive years (1977–1980); the free skating portion of the World Championships three times (1978–1980); and the silver medal at the World Championships in 1979 and 1980.

He reached the pinnacle of his amateur career by winning gold medals both in the European Championships and in the Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York, in 1980. Hoffmann skated a technically superior performance, but six out of nine judges gave first place to Cousins, giving him the overall win and the gold medal. Cousins never won a world title; figure skating historian James R. Hines states that it was due to his weakness in compulsory figures, although "his strength was always in free skating".

He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to ice skating in the 1980 Birthday Honours. He hit both the longest Axel jump and the longest back flip on figure skates in the Guinness Book of World Records, reaching 5.81 metres (19 ft 1 in) and 5.48 metres (18 ft) on 16 November 1983.

In March 2016, Cousins joined the Art of the Olympians (AOTO) program. In May 2021, Cousins was elected as Vice Chair of the British Ice Skating board for a 4-year term and appointed as its President.

Personal life

Cousins has undergone a total of eight operations, including a knee replacement in his fifties.

On 10 March 2012, he appeared on the gameshow All Star Family Fortunes with four of his nephews. He also appeared on the gameshow Tipping Point Lucky Stars in August 2013.

Charity work

Cousins is a significant patron of the Meningitis UK organization and the Starr Trust children's charity in Brighton.

Programmes

Season Short program Free skating Exhibition 1979–1980 The Railway Childrenby Johnny Douglas Belle de Jour Dragons At Midnight Murder on the Orient Express Paint It Black With You I'm Born Again

Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

Where Do I Go? from Hair 1978–1979

Swan Lake etc. by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Dmitri Shostakovich Classical exhibition 1977–1978The Railway Children Lady Sings The Blues Yellow Submarine (movie instrumental) Silent Movie by Michel Legrand, John Morris Disco exhibition number

The Flower Song from Carmen by Georges Bizet 1976–1977 Eldorado Kalinka Clair De Lune Hava Nagilaby Electric Light Orchestra, Claude Debussy 1975–1976 Variation on Three Blind Mice by John Dankworth 1974–1975 Enter the Greeks 1973–1974 Malagueña by Ernesto Lecuona

Results

Amateur career International Event 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 Olympics 10th 1st Worlds 12th 9th WD 3rd 2nd 2nd Europeans 15th 11th 11th 6th 3rd 3rd 3rd 1st Skate Canada 2nd 1st NHK Trophy 1st St. Gervais 1st National British Champ. 3rd 2nd 2nd 2nd 1st 1st 1st 1st WD = Withdrew

Professional career Event/Season 1980 1981 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 World Professional Champ. 1st* 2nd* 1st 2nd 1st 4th 2nd 3rd 2nd Challenge of Champions 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 2nd 3rd World Cup of Skating 1st World Team Champ. 3rd* North American Open 3rd Canadian Pro Champ. 4th Legends Champ. 2nd Asterisk indicates results from team competitions