Surya Bonaly was born December 15, 1973 in Nice, France. She is a notable French-American professional figure skater best known for her unique skating style and bold jumps. She is a nine-time French national champion, a three-time World silver medalist, a five-time European champion, the 1991 World Junior Champion.
At the 1994 World Championships in Japan, Surya became the only Olympic figure skater to land a backflip on only one blade. She won the silver medal, amidst fan and some critics scrutiny that she should have placed 1st. Seemingly, Suriya shared this sentiment and, during the award ceremony, chose to stand beside the platform and removed her silver medal after it was presented to her. Surya’s unique figure skating style, famous back flips and multiple triple jumps have still not been widely accepted by the traditional figure skating community, but she remains a legend in the industry to this day!