Sarah Hughes

Sarah Hughes is a famously known Olympic medalist and competitor for the United States in figure skating. Born in Great Neck, New York in 1985, Hughes’ father is credited for introducing her to the ice, as he was a former prestigious men’s ice hockey player at Cornell University. Sarah picked up skating at a very young age and had clinched her first title by 1998 as the Junior U.S. Champion. She went on to become a member of the Skating Club of New York and later to graduate from Yale University with a degree in American studies with a concentration in U.S. politics and communities. Hughes qualified for the 2002 Winter Olympics after earning a bronze medal at the 2002 U.S. Championships and was even featured on the cover of Time magazine. At the 2002 Winter Olympics, she became a gold medalist as she won the singles competition in Salt Lake City. Hughes’ mother is a breast cancer survivor, which has led her to become an advocate for the cause in addition to helping underprivileged girls in the Harlem community obtain academic help and free ice skating lessons. Hughes is passionate about these two causes as well as her love for the sport of figure skating. She continues to make our country proud as she represents the United States as an admirable athlete and human being both on and off the ice.