Timothy LeDuc

Timothy LeDuc (born May 4, 1990) is a retired American pair skater. With their skating partner, Ashley Cain, they are a two-time U.S. national champion (2019, 2022), the 2018 Four Continents silver medalist, and a two-time Grand Prix medalist. They are the first openly gay skater to win the pairs title at the U.S. Championships and the first openly non-binary athlete to qualify for the Winter Olympics.

Personal life Timothy LeDuc was born May 4, 1990, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. When they first came out as gay at age 18, fellow Christians attempted to make them straight through conversion therapy, which LeDuc rejected. After they came out as non-binary, their family later came to accept their identity; LeDuc remarked, "Now my parents walk with me in Trans Pride marches and in Pride marches."

LeDuc became interested in figure skating after watching the 2002 Olympics and started taking figure skating lessons through the Learn to Skate program. LeDuc is the first openly gay skater to win the pairs title at the U.S. Championships. LeDuc is non-binary, and began using they/them pronouns in 2021.

Career

Single skating LeDuc began learning to skate when they were 12 years old and started private lessons two years later.

Early partnerships Competing in novice pairs, LeDuc placed tenth with Lauren Gifford at the 2010 U.S. Championships.

With Cassie Andrews, they won the junior bronze medal at the 2011 U.S. Championships and finished ninth at the 2011 World Junior Championships in Gangneung, South Korea. Moving up to the senior level the following season, they placed eleventh at the 2012 U.S. Championships.

LeDuc teamed up with DeeDee Leng in June 2012.

2018–19 season At 2018 US International Figure Skating Classic, Cain/LeDuc placed first overall with a score of 173.05. They placed first overall at the 2018 Ondrej Nepela Trophy, with a score of 181.56. At their first Grand Prix event of the season, 2018 Skate America, they placed third overall with a score of 175.05. At 2018 Rostelecom Cup, Cain/LeDuc placed sixth with a score of 170.29.

Following the Grand Prix, Cain/LeDuc competed in a third Challenger event, the Golden Spin of Zagreb. Second after the short program, the two placed fifth in the free skate following two falls. The second fall involved Cain being dropped on her head while exiting a lift, seemingly being knocked unconscious briefly, before getting up and completing the program. She was subsequently taken to the hospital. There was considerable controversy amongst commentators that the referee had not halted the performance.