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Skaters

Michael Weiss

Born:

August 2, 1976

Birthplace:

Washington, DC

Height:

5' 9"

Level:

Senior

Hometown:

McLean, VA

Training Town:

Laurel, MD

Club:

Washington FSC

Coach:

Don Laws

Choreographer:

Lisa Thornton-Weiss, Peter Tchernyshev, Dan Hollander

Weiss started skating at age 9 because his sister also skated ... During the 1999-2000 season, Weiss rebounded from a stress fracture in his left ankle to capture his second straight U.S. title and World bronze medal ... Won the silver medal in men's figures at the 1991 U.S. Championships in Minneapolis, Minn ... Named "1999 Father of the Year" by the National Fatherhood Initiative in Washington, D.C ... In 2004, he was named a "Golden Dad" by Golden Slumbers, LLC, a partnership that includes the National Fatherhood Initiative ... Currently a motivational speaker, "I speak to companies, employees, students, athletes, and many others and tell them my experiences with the Olympic process. I tell how these lessons learned through athletics can be applied to many different areas in life, to be happy and successful." ... In 2004 started the Michael Weiss Foundation to raise money to support Olympic hopefuls of the future ... Hobbies include parenting, carpentry and fantasy football ... He also enjoys hockey, golf and tennis ... Hails from an athletic family as his sister Geremi was a junior national silver medalist in figure skating, his sister Genna was a Junior World diving champion, his father was on the 1964 Olympic Gymnastics Team and his mother was a national gymnastics champion ... He is a 1997 graduate of Prince George's College with an associate's degree in business marketing and was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society ... Athlete he most admires is Michael Jordan because of his athletic ability and his confidence ... Married his choreographer, the former Lisa Thornton ... He and his wife celebrated the birth of their first child, daughter Annie-Mae in September 1998, and son Christopher Michael in October 1999.

2005 Season Notes
Short Program Music: "La Donna e Mobile" by Verdi; Free Skate Music: "5th Symphony, Moonlight Sonata, and 9th Symphony" by Beethoven
2004 Season Notes
SP Music: "Henry V" ... FS Music: "Stairway to Heaven" and "Bonzo's Montreaux" by Led Zeppelin and "Unforgiven" by Metallica.

Weiss was the third alternate for the Grand Prix Final.
2003 Season Notes
Short Program Music: Henry V (soundtrack) ... Free Skate Music: Patriotic medley ... Weiss used a patriotic-themed free skate to take third place in the Campbell's Classic Oct. 3 in New York City ... He won his first-ever Smart Ones Skate America title, and second Grand Prix title, in Reading, Pa. ... He followed his Skate America title with a bronze at Trophée Lalique and also won bronze at the ISU Grand Prix Final.
2002 Season Notes
Weiss finished fifth at the World Championships in front of his hometown fans in Washington, D.C. ... He won his qualifying group at the event ... Weiss rebounded from a fourth-place finish in the short program to win his third U.S. title at the 2003 State Farm U.S. Championships. In a final tune-up prior to the 2003 U.S. Championships, Weiss placed second at the Crest Whitestrips International Figure Skating Challenge in Auburn Hills, Mich., Dec. 13 ... Weiss claimed the first Grand Prix title of his career with a dramatic gold medal finish at Tropheé Lalique in Paris on Nov. 16 ... Weiss rebounded from a fifth-place finish in the short program to take top spot in the event ... Weiss opened the 2002-03 Grand Prix Series with a fifth-place finish at Smart Ones Skate America in Spokane, Wash. ... At Skate America, Weiss debuted the "Freedom Blade," the first major international competition that any skater has used the new skating blade ... On Oct. 29, Weiss announced that he and longtime coach Audrey Weisiger would no longer be working together and that he would begin working with Don Laws immediately as his full-time coach.
2001 Season Notes
Weiss had an injury-plagued 2000-01 season, and looked to regain the consistent form that saw him claim two U.S. titles and two World bronze medals from 1999-00 ... With a silver medal to start the season at the Goodwill Games, Weiss appeared ready to challenge for the podium again in the U.S. and qualify for his second straight U.S. Olympic Team ... After winning the bronze at the 2002 U.S. Championships, Weiss placed seventh in the 2002 Olympics and made his fifth appearance at the World Championships and first since the 2000 event in Nice, France.