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Figure skating was Games' first winter sport
Skating's roots may stretch back as far as the Middle Ages, where drawings depict ancient gods wearing huge "skis" with runners. In 1850, E.W. Bushnell introduced the first steel-bladed skates, which revolutionized the sport by making possible more intricate twists and turns.
More recently, figure skating has enjoyed unprecedented popularity — thanks in part to an infamous clubbing-for-hire prior to the 1994 Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer. Seven weeks before the Games, skater Nancy Kerrigan was clubbed in the knee by men later linked to Kerrigan's rival, Tonya Harding.
Viewers around the globe followed the scandal, investigation, and the Olympic figure skating competition that followed (in which both Kerrigan and Harding participated on behalf of the United States). The sport gained millions of new fans thanks to the horrific attack, and figure skating has emerged as one of the most-watched sports on television.
 OLYMPIC OVERVIEW
Figure skating was the first winter sport included in the Olympic program when, in 1908, the men's, ladies' and pairs competitions were added to the London Summer Olympic slate. The inaugural Winter Olympic Games were held 16 years later, in Chamonix, France.
Europeans dominated the men's Olympic skating competition until 1948 in St. Moritz, when American Richard "Dick" Button won the gold medal and landed the first-ever double axel. Button went on to win a second gold medal in the 1952 Oslo Games, and launched a dynasty in American figure skating that continues today.
The United States also in the past half-century has had strong representation in the women's skating competition. Athletes such as Tenley Albright, Carol Heiss, Peggy Fleming, Dorothy Hamill, Kristy Yamaguchi and Michelle Kwan have maintained an almost-unbeatable force for the United States. Each year since 1968, an American has stood on the Olympic medals podium. Four have won gold medals, and twice in that period Americans have won two of the three top prizes.
Few countries dominated an event the way athletes from the former Soviet Union have dominated the pairs skating event since 1964. In each Olympic competition, Soviet pairs have won the gold medal. In seven of nine Olympic competitions since 1964, Soviet teams have won two of the three medals.
Ice dancing was not introduced to Olympic competition until 1976. Teams from the former Soviet Union have also dominated that competition since its inclusion, except for the gold medal-winning "Bolero" performance by Britain's Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean in 1984.
Figure skating continues to evolve, each season progressing in difficulty. During the 1999-2000 competitive season, viewers saw the standardization of the "quad" jump in the men's competition, as well as talk of triple Axel jumps by preteen girls hoping to compete in the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. Also in the past five years, skaters from China have made their presence felt in women's, men's and pairs events and may emerge as a force to be reckoned with in the 2002 Games.
EVENT DESCRIPTIONS
Ladies' singles, men's singles: The competition is separated into two parts, the short program and free skate. The short program is skated first and counts for 33.3 percent of the skater's total score. It must include eight required elements: three jumps (including one in combination), spins and step sequences. The moves may be done in any order, and completed within 2 minutes, 40 seconds. Judges award two scores — one for how well the athlete completed the elements and one recognizing the overall quality of the presentation.
The long program, also called the free skate, is worth 66.7 percent of a skater's total score. Here, skaters may select their own music, theme and choreography. Though there are no "required" elements, judges still critique a skater's program for difficulty and presentation. The free skate lasts 4 minutes.
Pairs: Pairs teams also look forward to a two-part competition, the short and long programs. The short program must include eight elements: overhead lifts, side-by-side and solo spins done in unison, footwork, pair spins and a death spiral. The short program is 2 minutes, 40 seconds.
As with singles skaters, the pairs long program allows skaters to show their strengths, skills, and originality. During the four minutes and 30 seconds allowed the long program, skaters should demonstrate at least three different lifts, one throw jump, one solo jump and one jump sequence, solo and pairs spin, one footwork and spiral sequence, and one death spiral. The long program counts for 66.7 percent of a team's overall score.
Ice dancing: The ice dancing competition consists of three parts — two compulsory dances, a two-minute original dance and a four-minute free dance.
In the compulsory dances, each team performs the same two dances, selected annually by the International Skating Union, the international federation for figure skating. Judges look for accuracy, style, unison, timing and expression and award one mark for each dance.
In the original dance, skaters are given a prescribed rhythm with a defined tempo range, from which they develop an original version of the dance. The dance should have the character of ballroom dancing. Judges award two marks for the original dance - one for composition (originality and difficulty) and one for presentation.
The free dance, which counts for 50 percent of a team's score, allows athletes to show their creativity, originality and technical skill. Teams may choose their own music and create their own choreography. Two sets of marks are awarded, one for technical merit and one for presentation.
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