Figure skater loses gold medal chance after fall — but it freed her to perform the most outrageous stunt ever
Some are born to make rules, and others to break them. Surya Bonaly definitely fits in the second box.
Some are born to make rules, and others to break them. Surya Bonaly definitely fits in the second box. The French figure skater, born in 1973, became famous only after she performed a backflip at the 1998 Olympics in Japan — an outrageous act that was and is still illegal in competitions under the International Skating Union (ISU).
When Bonaly performed the backflip, she believed people would hate her forever, but today, her name is almost synonymous with the move. "At first I was almost ashamed… Maybe I'm going to be hated forever. I'm not that [much of] a rebel. I appreciate it (the iconic backflip) more, and I feel more proud of myself now and today than years ago, for when I did it," Bonaly shared in an interview with the Olympic Games. Born in Nice, France, Bonaly's biological mom placed her in an orphanage shortly after her birth. At 8 months old, she was adopted by Suzanne and Georges, a white couple who became her family. "My parents were really gutsy. To be able to say, 'OK, well, we want to adopt,' and also to adopt a kid of color. I was blessed to have parents who took me under their wings and helped me grow up and gave me a good education," Bonaly said. The three-time World Cup silver medalist knew that performing the dangerous stunt could negatively affect her scores, which played out just as expected. Her rank plummeted from the sixth to the tenth, which is ironic given that this 'disgrace' turned her into an icon.
Bonaly never won an Olympic medal, but her resilience and determination make her the first and only skater to perform a backflip and land on one blade. "I think as a pioneer, I think that it is most important to be able to say that," she added. Bonaly is a born winner, and winning isn't just determined by the medals but by the impact someone has on people. Apart from her iconic backflip, she is also known as the first woman to attempt a quadruple toe loop at the 1992 Albertville Olympics. Though her jump fell short of a full rotation, forcing her to complete it on the ice, Bonaly made her presence felt like no one else. Interestingly, it took 3 long decades for another lady to land a quad jump in Olympic free skate. It was finally achieved by Russia's Kamila Valieva in 2022. Talking about it, Bonaly told TODAY, "It’s amazing to think it took that long for it to happen at the Olympics, that it was 30 years ago that I was really pushing myself to go forward."
The skating legend had to face a lot of negativity on the professional front, and Bonaly believes it was because of her race. She thinks it could have been relatively easier for her to achieve things if she had been white. "Yes. If I had been white, maybe I would have had my title long ago… but who knows?" Bonaly said. Recalling all the hardships, she said, "Actually, really bad! Or awful!" Moreover, she said she felt forced to silently accept the injustice and was refrained from speaking out against it. Despite her own struggles, Bonaly is happy that society is slowly changing and is becoming more inclusive and open-minded. "You should be able to speak up as long as you don't hurt anyone physically and mentally," she added.
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