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200pxShe first started ice skating when she was eight. She began skating in her grandparent's backyard on the pond. Her ice skates were too big so her grandmother put stuffing in the toe to make them fit. She asked her mother if she could have lessons so she could learn to skate backwards. Her mother said yes and she learned to be a professional. When she was older she won an Olympic gold medal and the world championship in 1976 .
The U.S. champion from 1974 through 1976, Hamill developed a new move, a spin that turns into a sit-spin, which became known as the " Hamill camel." The bobbed hairstyle that she wore during her Olympic performance started a brief fad. Mostly everyone loved it.
She was an Ice Capades headliner from 1977-84; she bought the financially-strapped Ice Capades in 1993 , but sold it to Pat Robertson soon after.
A doll was made of her in 1977. She has written her own book, "On and Off the Ice".She was married to Dean Paul Martin .
| Figure Skating |