Kyoko Ina
Ina and Zimmerman in 2001.
Born (1972-10-11) October 11, 1972
Tokyo, Japan
Height1.52 m (5 ft 0 in)
Figure skating career
Country United States
PartnerJohn Zimmerman
Skating clubSC of New York
Retired2002
Medal record
Representing  United States
Pairs' Figure skating
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2002 NaganoPairs
Four Continents Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2001 Salt Lake CityPairs
Silver medal – second place 2000 OsakaPairs

Kyoko Ina (伊奈 恭子, Ina Kyōko, born October 11, 1972) is an American figure skater. With partner John Zimmerman, she is the 2002 World bronze medalist and a three-time (2000–2002) U.S. national champion. The pair also competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics. With previous partner Jason Dungjen, Ina was a two-time (1997 & 1998) U.S. champion and competed at the 1994 and 1998 Olympics.

Personal life

Kyoko Ina was born in Tokyo, Japan and raised in New York.[1] Her grandfather, Katsuo Okazaki, was an Olympic runner (and Japanese Foreign Minister between 1952 and 1954), her grandmother, Shimako Okazaki, was a tennis player, and her mother, Yoshi Ina, competed as a swimmer and a sculler.[2]

Skating career

Ina started skating at the rink at Rockefeller Center at the age of three or four.[2] She skated singles and pairs for Japan in the Junior ranks, but eventually decided to compete solely for the United States.

Her first American partnership was with Jason Dungjen from 1991 to 1998, under the coaching of Peter Burrows and Marylynn Gelderman in Monsey, New York. They placed 4th at the 1998 Winter Olympics but withdrew from the 1998 World Championships after an accident during a practice session – while practicing a triple twist, Ina's arm hit Dungjen's forehead, fracturing the browbone above his right eye.[3] Their partnership ended following that season.[4]

Ina teamed up with John Zimmerman in 1998.[1] Initially, they were coached by Peter Burrows and Mary Lynn Gelderman in Monsey, New York and they also commuted to Stamford, Connecticut, to work with Tamara Moskvina.[4] They later trained under Moskvina and Igor Moskvin in Hackensack, New Jersey.[5]

Ina and Zimmerman are able to capitalize on their height difference and perform various difficult lifts. They won three U.S. Championships and competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics. They won the bronze medal at the 2002 World Championships.

Ina had not yet turned professional when, on July 18, 2002, the USADA chose to perform an out-of-competition doping test on her. The agent came to her home for an unscheduled test at 10:30 at night. Ina stated that she could not produce the urine sample because she had already prepared to go to sleep.[6] Ina was led to believe by the agent that the test could be rescheduled for the following day,[7] but she was later charged with refusing to take a doping test. She was suspended by the USADA because of this and faced fines. Despite what had been reported, Ina never faced suspension from the International Skating Union because the refused test was a national out of competition test.[8] Ina's case was further complicated because it was not clear at the time if she had or had not officially retired from competition at the time of the attempted test.[9] Ina eventually filed a case with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but later withdrew it. In the end, Ina accepted a two-year sanction from the USADA.[9]

Ina and Zimmerman skated with the Stars on Ice tour for many years. In 2010, Ina competed in the second season of the Canadian reality competition Battle of the Blades partnered with retired NHL player Kelly Chase.

Ina currently coaches in New York.

Ina was inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2018.[10][11]

Programs

With Zimmerman

Season Short program Free skating
2001–02
[5]
2000–01
[12]
  • Truman Show
  • Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
    by Sergei Rachmaninov

With Dungjen

Season Short program Free skating
1997–98
    1996–97
      1995-96 Slaughter on 10th Avenue

      Competitive history

      GP: Champions Series / Grand Prix

      Pair skating with Zimmerman

      International[13]
      Event 1998–99 99–2000 2000–01 2001–02
      Olympics5th
      Worlds9th7th7th3rd
      Four Continents2nd3rd
      GP Final5th4th
      GP Cup of Russia3rd4th
      GP Lalique2nd4th3rd2nd
      GP Skate America5th5th4th2nd
      GP Skate Canada2nd
      GP Sparkassen2nd
      National[13]
      U.S. Champ.2nd1st1st1st

      Pair skating with Dungjen

      International[14][15]
      Event 91–92 92–93 93–94 94–95 95–96 96–97 97–98
      Olympics9th4th
      Worlds12th8th6th4th
      GP Lalique5th6th
      GP Nations Cup2nd3rd4th3rd
      GP NHK Trophy4th3rd
      GP Skate America2nd5th4th2nd
      GP Skate Canada3rd
      Continents Cup2nd
      Piruetten3rd
      Schäfer Memorial1st
      National[14]
      U.S. Champ.7th5th2nd2nd2nd1st1st

      Single skating for the United States

      International[16]
      Event 88–89 89–90 90–91 91–92 92–93 93–94 94–95 95–96 96–97
      World Junior Championships5th
      NHK Trophy6th
      Nebelhorn1st
      National[16]
      U.S. Champ.1st J7th8th10th4th11th
      J = Junior level

      Single skating for Japan

      Event 1986–87
      World Junior Championships8th
      Japanese Junior Championships1st

      References

      1. 1 2 Roberts, Selena (January 7, 2002). "FIGURE SKATING; Ina and Zimmerman Melt Ice in Melting Pot". The New York Times.
      2. 1 2 Pucin, Diane (February 7, 1998). "Welcoming The World For Ina, A Home Away From Home". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
      3. ↑ "American pairs champions withdraw from worlds". canoe.ca. Associated Press. March 30, 1998.
      4. 1 2 Mittan, J. Barry (1998). "Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman". Archived from the original on January 11, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
      5. 1 2 "Kyoko INA / John ZIMMERMAN: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 2, 2002.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
      6. ↑ Rosewater, Amy (October 26, 2002). "PLUS: FIGURE SKATING; Ina Suspended For Not Taking Test". The New York Times.
      7. ↑ Hiltzik, Michael A. (December 11, 2006). "Athletes see doping case appeals as futile exercise". Los Angeles Times.
      8. ↑ "ISU Comment On U.S. Anti-Doping Agency Case". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on September 4, 2003.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
      9. 1 2 "Sanction Modified in Kyoko Ina USADA Case". U.S. Figure Skating. Archived from the original on August 19, 2004.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
      10. ↑ Halonen, Lena; Jangbro, Eva Maria (December 5, 2011). "Kyoko Ina: "I don't think anyone ever really commits to coaching, it just sort of happens."". Absolute Skating. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
      11. ↑ Weiss, Ina/Zimmerman make figure skating Hall of Fame AP News, 1 December 2017.
      12. ↑ "Kyoko INA / John ZIMMERMAN: 2000/2001". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 20, 2001.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
      13. 1 2 "Kyoko INA / John ZIMMERMAN". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on January 27, 2017.
      14. 1 2 "Kyoko INA / Jason DUNGJEN". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on January 29, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
      15. ↑ "Kyoko Ina & Jason Dungjen". Pairs on Ice. Archived from the original on April 2, 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
      16. 1 2 "Kyoko INA". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on January 29, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2017.

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