Naomi Nari Nam

Naomi Nari Nam

Nam and Leftheris in 2006.
Personal information
Country represented	United States
Born	July 6, 1985 (1985-07-06) (age 26)
Height	153 cm (5.02 ft)
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 in Anaheim, California), is an American figure skater who competed in both single skating and pair skating. As a single skater, she is the 1999 U.S. silver medalist. As a pair skater, she is the 2007 U.S. bronze medalist with Themistocles Leftheris.

Personal life

Naomi Nari Nam was born in 1985 in California. She is Korean American and fluent in Korean.

Following her silver medal win at the 1999 U.S. Championships, Nam had endorsements in South Korea and appeared on the Tonight Show With Jay Leno.

In August 2010 she married Tyler Poor; the couple has one son, Aiden Zachary Poor, born in March 2011.^[1]

Skating career

Singles career

Nam won the 1997 U.S. Figure Skating Championships on the novice level.

In the 1997-1998 season, Nam won the pewter medal on the junior level at the 1998 U.S. Figure skating Championships.

In the 1998-1999 season, Nam won the silver medal at the 1999 U.S. Figure Skating Championships behind Michelle Kwan. Although this medal would under normal circumstances have qualified Nam for the team to the World Championships, Nam was not eligible to be sent because she was not old enough. Sarah Hughes, who had placed 4th at Nationals, was sent in her stead. Hughes was also not age-eligible for Worlds, but was allowed to compete at the World Championships because she had won a medal at the 1999 World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Nam could not get this exemption because she had not competed at the 1999 World Junior Championships. 1999 was the last year that the U.S. Figure Skating Championships were held after the World Junior Championships.

In the 1999-2000 season, Nam competed on the ISU Junior Grand Prix. She won a silver medal at the event in Canada and placed 7th at the event in Japan. She did not qualify for the Junior Grand prix Final. At the 2000 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, she placed 8th and was not sent to the World Junior Championships.

Nam suffered from a stress fracture in her hip, hampering her singles career. She withdrew from the 2001 U.S. Figure Skating Championships with injury.

In 2003, following hip surgery, she won the Southwest Pacific Regional title but placed 5th at the Pacific Coast Sectionals. She failed to qualify for the 2004 U.S. Nationals.

Pairs career

In 2005, she took up pair skating with Themi Leftheris. After winning both the Regional and Pacific Coast Sectional, the pair placed 5th at the 2006 United States Figure Skating Championships.

Nam & Leftheris at the 2006 Skate America.

In the 2006-2007 season, Nam and Leftheris won the bronze medal at the 2006 Skate America event. They won the bronze medal at the 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championships behind Rena Inoue and John Baldwin and Brooke Castile and Benjamin Okolski. They went on to the 2007 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships and placed 6th.

In the 2007-2008 season, they withdrew from their Grand Prix events with injury. They placed 7th at the 2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

Naomi Nari Nam announced her retirement from competitive skating on October 10, 2008, citing her recurrent hip injury.^[2]

Programs

Season	Short Program	Long Program
2007–2008	Piano Fantasy by Aaron Copland	Liebestraum by Franz Liszt
2006–2007	Tango Jealousy by Jacob Gade	Caravan

Competitive highlights

Pairs career

Nam & Leftheris on the podium at the 2006 Skate America.

(with Leftheris)

Event	2005-2006	2006-2007	2007-2008
Four Continents Championships		6th
U.S. Championships	5th	3rd	7th
Skate America		3rd
Pacific Coast Sectionals	1st

Singles career

Event	1996-1997	1997-1998	1998-1999	1999-2000	2000-2001
U.S. Championships	1st N.	4th J.	2nd	8th	WD
Junior Grand Prix, Canada				2nd
Junior Grand Prix, Japan				7th

• N = Novice level; J = Junior Level; WD = Withdrew

References

1. ^ Walker, Elvin (June 1, 2011). "Baby Steps for Naomi Nari Nam". International Figure Skating. http://www.ifsmagazine.com/articles/542-baby-steps-for-naomi-nari-nam. Retrieved June 6, 2011. 
2. ^ http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081010&content_id=52854&vkey=ice_news

External links

• Nam & Leftheris official site
• Naomi Nari Nam & Themistocles Leftheris at the International Skating Union
• Naomi Nari Nam & Themistocles Leftheris at the United States Figure Skating Association

Persondata
Name	Nam, Naomi Nari
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	July 6, 1985
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death