“It’s feeling the way a bird would, not having any boundaries and being able to lean, jump, curve and spin, with the wind at your face.” -Dorothy Hamill. The life of Dorothy Hamill was one no one could have ever imagined it would end up to be. When she started skating at a young age she knew that’s what she wanted to grow up to be. Through her early life, beginning years, road to success, the Olympics, and the many awards she won after her career summed up her childhood dream of being like Peggy Fleming her role model.
Dorothy Stuart Hamill was born on July 26th, 1956 in Chicago Illinois at Passavant (now Northwestern) Memorial Hospital. Her parents were Carol and Chalmers Hamill and she was the youngest of three siblings (Hilton Par. 1). …show more content…
She wore her signature hairstyle known as the “wedge haircut” so her hair would stay out of her face as she spun (Ameleon Par. 3). At the time of the Olympics, Dorothy’s mom was not present in the area. Both her coach and Dorothy stated she skates worse when her mom is there. But, it was tradition her mom always gives her special rings to wear as she competed (Hilton Par. 14) (Ameleon Par. 3). When Dorothy won the Olympics she was only 5”4 and 100 pounds which is why she is known for her spins, grace, precision, and ability to jump high (Ameleon 4). She wore a magenta costume while performing her 4 minute long routine. Dorothy ended her routine with her famous “Hamill Camel” which is a camel spin into a sit spin (Hilton Par. 16). “Her interpretation of music, fluid skating, and infectious charm led all nine judges to unanimously vote her the winner.” (Parks Par. 8) After Dorothy won the Olympics she became the 4th American women to claim the gold medal since 1956 and was now known as “Americas Sweetheart”. Also after winning Dorothy was featured on the cover of Time Magazine (Hilton Par. 19). Soon after her amazing win in Austria, she won the World Championship in woman’s singles while in Goteborg Sweden later that year (Hamill