Chris Bowman
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Christopher Nicol Bowman (March 30, 1967 – January 10, 2008) was an American
figure skater Figure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games, when contested at the 1908 Olympics in London. The Olympic disciplines are me ...
. He was a two-time World medalist (silver in 1989, bronze in 1990), the 1983 World Junior champion, and a two-time U.S. national champion. He competed in two
Olympic Winter Games The Winter Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'hiver) is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were he ...
, placing 7th in
1988 File:1988 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The oil platform Piper Alpha explodes and collapses in the North Sea, killing 165 workers; The USS Vincennes (CG-49) mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655; Australia celebrates its Australian ...
and 4th in
1992 File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
.


Early years

Bowman was born in Hollywood, California. In his childhood, he appeared in commercials and two episodes of the TV series '' Little House on the Prairie''.


Career

In 1983, Bowman won the World Junior Championships and the U.S. national junior title. Bowman withdrew from the 1986 U.S. Championships after finishing second in the short program; he had a separation between his right tibia and fibula. The following season, he took the silver medal at U.S. nationals and was assigned to his first senior World Championships, finishing 7th. In 1988, Bowman won the bronze medal at the U.S. Championships and was sent to his first
Olympics The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...
, where he finished 7th. He then placed 5th at the 1988 World Championships. Bowman's left shin was cut in an accident with another skater in December 1988. He won his first senior U.S. national title in 1989. He then won his first World medal, silver, at the 1989 World Championships. Bowman withdrew from the 1990 U.S. Championships but received a berth to the 1990 World Championships where he took the bronze medal. After the Goodwill Games, he parted ways with Frank Carroll, who had coached him for eighteen years. Toller Cranston and
Ellen Burka Ellen Burka (née Danby; August 11, 1921 – September 12, 2016) was a Canadian-Dutch figure skater and coach. She became Member of the Order of Canada in 1978 and was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. Personal life Ellen ...
were his next coaches, followed by John Nicks. Bowman won his second national title in 1992. He was sent to his second
Olympics The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...
and placed 4th. In ''Inside Edge'' by Christine Brennan, Bowman admitted to having had a $950 a day cocaine habit during his eligible career, and that he had checked into the
Betty Ford Center The Betty Ford Center (BFC) is a non-profit, residential treatment center for persons with substance dependence in Rancho Mirage, California. It offers inpatient, outpatient, and residential day treatment for alcohol and other drug addictions, as ...
before the 1988 Olympic Games. Cranston also later described Bowman's drug problems in his book ''Zero Tollerance''. He was known as "Bowman the Showman" for his crowd-pleasing performances. Brian Boitano, the 1988 Olympic champion, told the Chicago Tribune: "If I had to pick the three most talented skaters of all time, I would pick Christopher as one. He had natural charisma, natural athleticism, he could turn on a crowd in a matter of seconds and he always seemed so relaxed about it." Bowman retired from competitive skating after the 1992 World Championships and toured with Ice Capades the following year. He left the tour in 1993 when Dorothy Hamill purchased Ice Capades. For some years thereafter, Bowman worked as a skating coach, first in Massachusetts and then in the Detroit area, where he lived from 1995 until 2007, and as a skating commentator. Prior to his death, he had returned to southern California to make a comeback in acting, with a role as an assistant coach in ''Down and Distance''.


Personal life and death

Bowman was divorced from skating coach Annette Bowman Jasinkiewicz with whom he had a daughter, Bianca (b. 1997). Bowman was pronounced dead on January 10, 2008, at 12:06 p.m. after being found in a motel in the North Hills area of Los Angeles. He was 40 years old. The Los Angeles County Coroner determined that Bowman died from an accidental drug overdose containing alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and prescription drugs.


Competitive highlights


References

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External links

*
Official web site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowman, Christopher 1967 births 2008 deaths American male child actors American male single skaters Figure skaters at the 1988 Winter Olympics Figure skaters at the 1992 Winter Olympics Olympic figure skaters of the United States Figure skaters from Los Angeles Drug-related deaths in California Accidental deaths in California World Figure Skating Championships medalists World Junior Figure Skating Championships medalists Competitors at the 1990 Goodwill Games