Naomi Nari Nam

Naomi Nari Nam

Nam and Leftheris in 2006.
Personal information
Country represented United States
Born (1985-07-06) July 6, 1985
Anaheim, California
Height 1.53 m (5 ft 0 in)
Former partner Themistocles Leftheris
Former coach Peter Oppegard
Karen Kwan-Oppegard
John Nicks
Former choreographer Peter Oppegard
Skating club All Year FSC
Retired October 10, 2008
ISU personal best scores
Combined total 161.32
2006 Skate America
Short program 57.32
2006 Skate America
Free skate 104.00
2006 Skate America

Naomi Nari Nam (born July 6, 1985) is an American figure skater who competed in both single skating and pair skating. As a single skater, she is the 1999 U.S. national silver medalist. As a pair skater, she is the 2006 Skate America bronze medalist and 2007 U.S. national bronze medalist with Themistocles Leftheris.

Personal life

Naomi Nari Nam was born in 1985 on July 6, 1985, in Anaheim, California.[1] She is Korean American and fluent in Korean. She married Tyler Poor on August 2, 2010, in Orange County, California.[2] The couple's son, Aiden Zachary Poor, was born in March 2011,[3] and their daughter, Bella Tatum Poor, on April 16, 2013.[4]

Skating career

Singles career

Nam won the novice ladies' title at the 1997 U.S. Championships. She was awarded the pewter medal on the junior level at the 1998 U.S. Championships.

Competing on the senior level, Nam won the silver medal at the 1999 U.S. Championships, behind Michelle Kwan. She subsequently received endorsements in South Korea and appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. As Nam did not meet the ISU's age criteria for the 1999 World Championships, 4th-ranked U.S. lady Sarah Hughes was sent in her stead. Although Hughes was also not old enough, she had an exemption due to her medal at the 1999 World Junior Championships. Nam had not competed at Junior Worlds because that season's competition had taken place prior to the U.S. Championships.

Nam competed in the 1999–2000 ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) series, winning a silver medal in Canada and placing 7th in Japan. She did not qualify for the JGP Final. At the 2000 U.S. Championships, she placed 8th and was not sent to the 2000 World Junior Championships.

John Nicks coached her in Costa Mesa, California.[5] Signs of tendonitis in her hip began appearing in July 2000; a few months later, she heard a pop as she practiced a triple Lutz jump and was subsequently diagnosed with a fracture in her growth plate.[6] After healing, she went to the 2001 U.S. Championships but had to withdrew due to hip pain which re-surfaced a day before the competition. After receiving a diagnosis of torn cartilage in her hip joint, she underwent surgery at Holy Cross Hospital in Florida.[6]

In 2003, Nam won the Southwest Pacific Regional title but placed 5th at the Pacific Coast Sectionals, which meant that she did not qualify for the 2004 U.S. Championships.

Pairs career

Two weeks after deciding to switch to pair skating, Nam had a try out with Themi Leftheris, in April 2005.[7][8] After winning both Regionals and Pacific Coast Sectionals, the pair placed 5th at the 2006 U.S. Championships.

Nam & Leftheris at the 2006 Skate America.

In the 2006–07 season, Nam and Leftheris won the bronze medal at their Grand Prix assignment, 2006 Skate America. They won the bronze medal at the 2007 U.S. Championships behind Rena Inoue / John Baldwin and Brooke Castile / Benjamin Okolski. They ranked 6th at the 2007 Four Continents Championships.

On August 24, 2007, Nam underwent surgery to remove a bone spur and to repair torn cartilage in her right hip.[9][10] She was on crutches for eight weeks and returned to the ice on October 19.[9] As a result, Nam/Leftheris withdrew from their Grand Prix assignments, 2007 Skate America and 2007 Cup of China.[10] They placed 7th at the 2008 U.S. Championships. Nam announced her retirement from competitive skating on October 10, 2008, citing her recurrent hip injury.[11]

Nam/Leftheris were coached by Peter Oppegard and Karen Kwan-Oppegard at the EastWest Ice Palace in Artesia, California.[7]

Programs

With Leftheris

Season Short program Free skating
2007–08
[12]
2006–07
[1]

Single skating

Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2000–01
[13]
1999–2000
[13]
  • Where Eagles Dare
1998–99
[13]
  • Itty Bitty Pretty One
  • Getting to Know You
1997–98
[13]

Competitive highlights

GP: Grand Prix; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

Pairs with Leftheris

Nam & Leftheris on the podium at the 2006 Skate America.
International[14]
Event 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08
Four Continents Champ. 6th
GP Cup of China WD
GP Skate America 3rd WD
National[12]
U.S. Championships 5th 3rd 7th
Pacific Coast Sectionals 1st
WD = Withdrew

Ladies' singles

International[15]
Event 94–95 95–96 96–97 97–98 98–99 99–00 00–01 03–04
JGP Canada 2nd
JGP Japan 7th
National[5]
U.S. Champ. 1st N 4th J 2nd 8th WD
Junior Olympics 1st V 4th I
Pacific Coast 1st I 1st N 1st J 1st 5th
Southwest Pacific 1st V 1st I 2nd N 2nd J 1st 1st
Levels: V = Juvenile; I = Intermediate; N = Novice; J = Junior
WD = Withdrew

References

  1. 1 2 "Naomi Nari NAM / Themistocles LEFTHERIS: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 30, 2007.
  2. ↑ Brannen, Sarah S.; Meekins, Drew (August 9, 2010). "The Inside Edge with Sarah and Drew - August 9". IceNetwork.com.
  3. ↑ Walker, Elvin (June 1, 2011). "Baby Steps for Naomi Nari Nam". International Figure Skating. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  4. ↑ Brannen, Sarah S.; Meekins, Drew (April 22, 2013). "The Inside Edge: 'Ice Chips' takes on Finnish feel". IceNetwork.com.
  5. 1 2 Skater Bios: Naomi Nari Nam at U.S. Figure Skating
    • "2000–01". Archived from the original on April 20, 2001.
    • "1999–2000". Archived from the original on February 26, 2000.
  6. 1 2 Duhaime, Jake (December 14, 2005). "Naomi Nari Nam Returns to U.S. Championships as a Pairs Skater". U.S. Figure Skating. Archived from the original on November 24, 2007.
  7. 1 2 "Meet Naomi Nari Nam & Themistocles Leftheris". figureskatersonline.com. Archived from the original on May 13, 2008.
  8. ↑ Mittan, Barry (January 21, 2007). "Long Road to Success for Nam and Leftheris". Skate Today.
  9. 1 2 Cunningham, Nicole (February 2008). "Naomi Nari Nam Undergoes Surgery, Hopes to Compete at Nationals". International Figure Skating (magazine). 14 (1). p. 58. Archived from the original on December 4, 2016.
  10. 1 2 "Interview with Naomi Nari Nam and Themistocles Leftheris". Golden Skate. October 8, 2007.
  11. ↑ Rutherford, Lynn (October 10, 2008). "Naomi Nari Nam retires from competition". IceNetwork.com.
  12. 1 2 "Naomi Nari Nam & Themistocles Leftheris". IceNetwork.com. Archived from the original on June 22, 2008.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Programs at Naomi Nari Nam's official website
    • "2000–01". Archived from the original on August 28, 2005.
    • "Previous programs". Archived from the original on August 29, 2005.
  14. ↑ "Competition Results: Naomi Nari NAM / Themistocles LEFTHERIS". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on March 12, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Naomi Nari NAM". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on December 4, 2016.
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