Sarah Elizabeth Hughes (born May 2, 1985) is an American former competitive figure skater. She is the 2002 Olympic Champion and the 2001 World bronze medalist in ladies' singles.
Early life and education
Hughes was born in Great Neck, New York, a suburb on Long Island. Her father, John Hughes, was a Canadian of Irish descent and was one of the captains of the undefeated and untied NCAA champion 1969–70 Cornell University ice hockey team. Her mother, Amy Pastarnack, is Jewish. She is the cousin of Gregg "Opie" Hughes, from the Opie and Anthony radio show.
Hughes attended Great Neck North High School. On May 25, 2009, Hughes graduated from Yale and received a bachelor's degree in American studies with a concentration in U.S. politics and communities.
In the 1999–2000 season, Hughes made her Grand Prix debut, winning the bronze medal at the 1999 Trophée Lalique. She won the bronze medal at the 2000 U.S. Championships and was credited with a triple-salchow-triple-loop combination.
The week before the opening of the 2002 Olympics, Hughes appeared on the cover of Time magazine.
At the 2002 Olympics, Hughes won the gold medal in what was widely considered one of the biggest upsets in figure skating history. She was the youngest skater in the competition, and was not expected to seriously challenge the favorites, teammate Michelle Kwan and Russia's Irina Slutskaya. Hughes became the first woman in Olympic history to land two triple jump-triple jump combinations in a 4-minute free skate. Kwan, Slutskaya, and Sasha Cohen (the three skaters that finished ahead of Hughes in the short program), all made significant mistakes in the free skate, clearing the way for Hughes to win gold. Her Lutz jump was flawed, but her difficult and successful jump combinations made up for it. Her artistry, above-average edge quality, and ice coverage combined to establish her as a "strong all-around skater" and ensured her gold-medal win.
thumb|right|Hughes (center left) meets President [[George W. Bush in 2002]]
After her Olympic win, Hughes was honored with a parade in her hometown of Great Neck, attended by U.S. Senators Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer, as well as Governor of New York George Pataki. Clinton spoke at the event and declared it Sarah Hughes Day. She received the James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the U.S., becoming the third figure skater to win this award after Dick Button (1949) and Michelle Kwan (2001).
Hughes did not compete at the 2002 World Championships. In the 2002–2003 season, she won the silver medal at the 2003 U.S. Championships, and placed sixth at the 2003 World Championships.
Hughes took the 2004–2005 year off from college and skated professionally with the Smuckers Stars on Ice tour company. She was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.
Richard Krawiec wrote a biography about her, Sudden Champion: The Sarah Hughes Story (2002).
Skating technique
Hughes employed a variety of triple-triple jump combinations, including a triple loop-triple loop, triple salchow-triple loop, and a triple toe-triple loop. She would also perform the triple loop jump which she often completed out of and following a back spiral. She was known for her camel spin with a change of edge as well as her spiral position. Unlike most skaters, she executed jumps and spins clockwise.
Later life
Hughes graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School on May 15, 2018. As of May 2023, Hughes was pursuing a business degree at Stanford University.
Personal life
Hughes' mother is a breast cancer survivor. This led Hughes to become an advocate for breast cancer awareness. She appeared in a commercial for General Electric promoting breast cancer awareness and research. Hughes stated, "I always said that if I can get one person to get a mammogram, I've accomplished something."
Programs
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Season
! Short program
! Free skating
! Exhibition
|-
! 2002–2003 <br />