Stojko, Elvis

Elvis Stojko, (born March 22, 1972, Newmarket, Ont., Can.), Canadian figure skater whose outstanding jumping ability helped him win three world titles (1994, 1995, and 1997) and two Olympic silver medals (1994 and 1998).

By the time he was two and a half, Stojko knew he wanted to skate. In 1988 he was Canadian junior national champion, and two years later he finished ninth in the world championships. His improvement in the standings continued the following year with a second-place finish at the Canadian nationals and a sixth-place finish at the world championships, where he made history by landing a quadruple toe–double toe loop combination.

Stojko made his Olympic debut at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, where he finished seventh. Later that year he won a bronze medal at the world championships, and he captured a silver at the world meet the next year. At the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Nor., he won a silver medal. After taking gold medals at the 1994 and 1995 world championships, he was expected to defend his title in 1996. However, he fell during the short program and missed the bronze medal by a narrow margin. In taking back the world crown in 1997, he became one of a very small number of skaters to regain a world championship after having missed medaling the year before.

At the 1997 Champions Series Final, Stojko landed the first quadruple toe–triple toe loop combination in competition. He was considered a favourite entering the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan. A groin injury, however, hampered his performance, but he still managed to win a silver medal. Stojko continued to compete, and his notable later finishes included a silver medal at the 2000 world championships. He made his final Olympic appearance in 2002, at the Salt Lake City Games, where he finished in eighth place. Shortly thereafter he retired from amateur competition. He subsequently worked as a commentator and continued to perform in various shows and tours. Stojko’s numerous honours include the Canadian Male Athlete of the Year award (1994) and the Governor-General’s Meritorious Service Medal (1998). Heart and Soul: Elvis Stojko in His Own Words was published in 1997.