Tonya Harding is a former Olympian who was the first American woman to land the triple axel in history. Tonya was born on November 12, 1970, and started skating at a young age.
Despite the skater showing significant signs of making a name for herself, she lost an opportunity which could have made her a millionaire.
What is Tonya Harding’s Net Worth
Tonya Harding’s net worth is estimated at $150,000 thousand. The former American Olympian was the 1991 Figure Skating Champion, but he did not last long. She had begun breaking records and establishing her name as a professional skater, but a lousy mistake saw her get banned from engaging in skating.
Tonya has earned her net worth from various careers. After being banned from skating, she joined boxing and competed a few times before her health status forced her to retire early. Moreover, Tonya has taken part in film acting, enabling her to boost her net worth.
Tonya Harding’s Early Life
Tonya Maxine Harding was born in 1970 to her parents, LaVon and Albert. Her mother, LaVona, was a waitress, while her father took several jobs as a property manager and truck driver.
At three years old, Tonya started skating with coach Diane Rawlinson. Getting skating outfits was a big challenge for the family, which led to Tomya’s mother hand-sewing the outfits for her.
Tonya pursued her studies as she skated until her sophomore year at Milwaukee High School. She was sixteen at this time and dropped out of school to focus on skating.
Tonya released a 2008 biography, The Tonya Tapes, which alleged that she suffered at the hands of her mother. Tonya stated she suffered physically and psychologically. Moreover, the former Olympian noted that her half-brother, Chris Davison, molested her when she was a child.
Tonya ‘s Career
Tonya’s career started booming in the late 1980s. She was sixth in the U.S. Figure Skating Championship and fifth in the next two years. In 1989, she became third and started training with coach Dody Teachman.
Tonya became the winner of the Skate America Competition in 1989. Although she showed signs of winning the 1990 U.S. Figure Skating Championship, her asthma and flu affected her performance, finishing at number seven.
1991 was the best year for Tonya. She won the U.S. Ladies’ Singles title and finished second in the world championships.
In 1994, Harding was named the U.S. champion but lost the title after the scandal involving Nancy Kerrigan. Moreover, the scandal resulted in a lifetime ban from skating, although she was allowed to compete in the 1999 ESPN Pro Skating Championship.
Tonya Harding Family
Tonya Harding was first married on March 18, 2020, to Jeff Gillooly, two years older than her. The couple divorced in 1993, but Jeff continued managing Tonya’s career. Tonya married Michael Smith for one year between 1995 and 1996 before she wed the love of her life, Joseph Price, in 2010. Tonya has a son with Joseph Price.