Kristi Yamaguchi Biography

Kristi Yamaguchi (born Kristine Tsuya Yamaguchi) is an American former figure skater. In ladies’ singles, Yamaguchi is the 1992 Olympic champion, a two-time World champion (1991 and 1992), and the 1992 U.S. champion. In 1992, she became the first Asian-American woman to win a gold medal in a Winter Olympic competition. As a pairs skater with Rudy Galindo, she is the 1988 World Junior champion and a two-time national champion (1989 and 1990). In December 2005, she was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. In 2008, Yamaguchi became the celebrity champion in the sixth season of Dancing with the Stars.

Kristi Yamaguchi Age

Yamaguchi is 50 years old as of 2019, he was born on July 12, 1971, in Hayward, California, United States. He celebrates his birthday on July 12 every year and his birth sign is Cancer.

Kristi Yamaguchi Height and Weight

Yamaguchi stands at a height of 4 feet 11.5 inches (1.51 meters), weighs 42 Kg (93 lbs), and has black hair and brown. However, details regarding her other body measurements are currently not publicly available. We will update this section when the information is available.

Kristi Yamaguchi Education

Yamaguchi was home-schooled for her first two years of high school but attended Mission San Jose High School for her junior and senior years, where she graduated.

Kristi Yamaguchi Family, Parents, and Siblings

Yamaguchi was born in Hayward, California, and raised by her parents in Fremont, California, together with her siblings, Brett and Lori. Their parents are Jim Yamaguchi, a dentist, and Carole (née Doi), a medical secretary.

Yamaguchi is a Sansei (a Japanese emigrant’s third-generation descendant). Her paternal grandparents and maternal great-grandparents immigrated to the United States from Japan, originating in Wakayama and Saga Prefectures, respectively.

During World War II, Yamaguchi’s grandparents were sent to an internment camp, where her mother was born. During World War II, her maternal grandfather, George A. Doi, served in the United States Army and fought in Germany and France while his family was interned at the Heart Mountain and Amache camps.

Yamaguchi’s ancestors can be traced back to Wakayama and Saga prefectures in Japan, according to research done in 2010 for the PBS series Faces of America, and her paternal grandfather, Tatsuichi Yamaguchi, emigrated to Hawaii in 1899.

Kristi Yamaguchi Husband

She married Bret Hedican, a professional hockey player she met at the 1992 Winter Olympics when he was a member of Team USA, on July 8, 2000. Yamaguchi and Hedican lived in Raleigh, North Carolina after their wedding, where Hedican played for the Carolina Hurricanes NHL team and won his only Stanley Cup in 2006.

He spent one year with the Anaheim Ducks and they now live in Alamo, California with their two daughters, Keara Kiyomi (born 2003) and Emma Yoshiko (born 2005). Dream Big, Little Pig!, a children’s book she co-wrote with illustrator Tim Bowers, was published in 2011. She spends her summers on Gull Lake in northern Minnesota.

Kristi Yamaguchi Salary

Details about Yamaguchi’s salary are not yet disclosed. However, information about how much she makes will be updated as soon as it is available.

Kristi Yamaguchi Net Worth

Yamaguchi’s net worth is estimated to be between $1 million and $5 million. This includes his assets, money, and income. His primary source of income is his career as a figure skater. Through his various sources of income, Yamaguchi has been able to accumulate a good fortune but prefers to lead a modest lifestyle.

Kristi Yamaguchi Measurements and Facts

Here are some interesting facts and body measurements you should know about Kristi Yamaguchi.

Kristi Yamaguchi Wiki

Full Names: Kristine Tsuya Yamaguchi
Popular As: Yamaguchi
Gender: Female
Occupation / Profession: Figure skater
Nationality: American
Race / Ethnicity: Asian
Religion: Not Known
Sexual Orientation: Straight

Kristi Yamaguchi Birthday

Age / How Old?: 50 (2021)
Zodiac Sign: Cancer
Date of Birth: July 12, 1971
Place of Birth: Hayward, California, U.S.
Birthday: July 12

Kristi Yamaguchi Body Measurements

Body Measurements: Not Available
Height / How Tall?: 4 feet 11.5 inches (1.51 meters), weighs
Weight: 42 Kg (93 lbs)
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Black
Shoe Size: Not Available
Dress Size: Not Available
Breast Size: Not Available
Waist Size: Not Available
Hip Size: Not Available

Kristi Yamaguchi Family and Relationship

Father (Dad): Jim Yamaguchi
Mother: Carole (née Doi)
Siblings (Brothers and Sisters): Brett and Lori
Marital Status: Married
Husband/Spouse: Bret Hedican (m. 2000)
Children: Emma Yoshiko Hedican, Keara Kiyomi Hedican

Kristi Yamaguchi Net Worth and Salary

Net Worth: $1 million and $5 million
Salary: Under Review
Source of Income: Figure skater

Kristi Yamaguchi Career

Yamaguchi began skating and taking ballet lessons, as a child, as physical therapy for her club feet.

Pairs career

In 1986, she won the junior title at the United States Championships with Rudy Galindo. Yamaguchi won the singles and pairs titles at the 1988 World Junior Championships two years later; Galindo had won the singles title at the 1987 World Junior Championships.

Yamaguchi and Galindo won the senior pairs title at the United States Championships in 1989. They won the championship again in 1990. Yamaguchi and Galindo were unusual pairs of team in that they were both accomplished singles skaters, allowing them to consistently perform difficult elements like side-by-side triple flip jumps, which are still more difficult than side-by-side jumps performed by top international pairs teams today.

They also jumped and spun in opposite directions, Yamaguchi counter-clockwise and Galindo clockwise, giving them a unique appearance on the ice. Yamaguchi decided to concentrate solely on singles in 1990. Galindo went on to have a successful singles career as well, winning the 1996 U.S. championships and the 1996 World bronze medal.

Singles career

At the 1990 Goodwill Games, Yamaguchi won her first major international gold medal in figure skating. Yamaguchi relocated to Edmonton, Alberta, in 1991 to train with coach Christy Ness. She studied psychology at the University of Alberta while there.

Yamaguchi finished second to Tonya Harding in the US championships that year, her third consecutive silver medal at Nationals. Yamaguchi won the World Championships the following month in Munich, Germany.

That year, the American ladies team of Yamaguchi, Harding, and Nancy Kerrigan became the only national ladies team to sweep the Worlds podium until the 2021 World Figure Skating Championships, when Anna Shcherbakova, Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, and Alexandra Trusova represented FSR.

Yamaguchi won her first U.S. title in 1992, earning a spot in the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. Kerrigan and Harding were back on the US team to support her.

While competitors Harding and Midori Ito from Japan were consistently landing the difficult triple Axel jump in competition, Yamaguchi focused on her artistry and triple-triple combinations in the hopes of becoming a more well-rounded skater.

At the Olympics, both Harding and Ito fell on their triple Axels (though Ito successfully landed the jump later in her long program after missing the first time), allowing Yamaguchi to win gold despite errors in her free program, including putting a hand to the ice on a triple loop and a double salchow instead of a planned triple.

“You just do your best and forget about the rest,” she later explained of her mindset during the lengthy program. Yamaguchi went on to successfully defend her World title that same year.

Professional career

Yamaguchi began his professional career following the 1991–92 competitive season. She toured with Stars on Ice for many years and also competed in professional competitions.

Yamaguchi founded the Always Dream Foundation for Children in 1996. The foundation’s mission is to provide funding for after-school programs, computers, back-to-school clothes, and summer camps for children with disabilities.

In a 2009 comment, she explained her motivation for the project: “The Make-A-Wish Foundation inspired me to make a positive difference in the lives of children. We’ve been assisting various children’s organizations, which has been rewarding. Our most recent project is a playground designed for children of all abilities to play together. That’s where we’re going right now.”

Her Always Dream Foundation is currently focusing on early childhood literacy, with the mission statement “Empowering Children to Reach Their Dreams Through Education and Inspiration.”

ADF has joined forces with “Raising a Reader” to launch a reading program in schools across California, and eventually nationwide. The foundation also offers a language arts program called “Footsteps to Brilliance” to kindergarten and first-grade students.

Both programs incorporate cutting-edge technology into the classroom. Yamaguchi is the author of several books, including Always Dream, Pure Gold, and Figure Skating for Dummies.

Dream Big, Little Pig, her award-winning children’s book, was #2 on the New York Times bestseller list in 2011, and she received the Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award; a portion of the proceeds went to the Always Dream Foundation to support early childhood literacy programs. The sequel, It’s a Big World, Little Pig, was set to be released on March 6, 2012.

Yamaguchi made a fitness video with the California Raisins in 1993 called “Hip to be Fit: The California Raisins and Kristi Yamaguchi”. She has appeared as herself on Everybody Loves Raymond and in D2: The Mighty Ducks, Frosted Pink, and the Disney Channel original movie Go Figure. Yamaguchi has also performed in numerous television skating specials, including the Disney special Aladdin on Ice, in which she played Princess Jasmine.

In 2006 Yamaguchi was the host of WE tv series Skating’s Next Star, created and produced by Major League Figure Skating. Yamaguchi was a local commentator on figure skating for San Jose TV station KNTV (NBC 11) during the 2006 Winter Olympics.

On May 20, 2008, Yamaguchi became the champion of the sixth season of ABC’s reality program Dancing with the Stars, in which she was paired with Mark Ballas, defeating finalist couple Jason Taylor and Edyta Śliwińska.

Yamaguchi made a special appearance in the sixteenth season finale, dancing alongside Dorothy Hamill. At the 2008 Asian Excellence Awards, Yamaguchi received the Inspiration Award. She received the 2008 Sonja Henie Award from the Professional Skaters Association two days after being crowned Dancing with the Stars champion.

Among her other honors are the Thurman Munson Award, the Flo Hyman Award from the Women’s Sports Foundation, the Heisman Humanitarian Award, and the Great Sports Legends Award. She is also a member of the United States Olympic Committee Olympic Hall of Fame, the World Skating Hall of Fame, and the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

Yamaguchi was a daily NBC Olympics skating broadcast analyst on NBC’s Universal Sports Network in 2010. Kristi was also a special correspondent for the Today Show during the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Yamaguchi launched a women’s activewear line focused on function, comfort, and style in early 2012 to empower women to look and feel good. Tsu.ya by Kristi Yamaguchi is the name of the lifestyle brand. Tsu.ya donates a portion of its profits to Yamaguchi’s Always Dream Foundation, which promotes early childhood literacy.

Yamaguchi returned to Dancing With the Stars in Week 8 of the 25th season in November 2017 to perform in a jazz trio with Lindsey Stirling and her professional partner Mark Ballas.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kristi Yamaguchi

Who is Kristi Yamaguchi?

Yamaguchi is an American former figure skater. In ladies’ singles, Yamaguchi is the 1992 Olympic champion, a two-time World champion (1991 and 1992), and the 1992 U.S. champion. In 1992, she became the first Asian-American woman to win a gold medal in a Winter Olympic competition. As a pairs skater with Rudy Galindo, she is the 1988 World Junior champion and a two-time national champion (1989 and 1990). In December 2005, she was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. In 2008, Yamaguchi became the celebrity champion in the sixth season of Dancing with the Stars.

How old is Kristi Yamaguchi?

Yamaguchi is an American national born on July 12, 1971, in Hayward, California, U.S.

How tall is Kristi Yamaguchi?

Yamaguchi stands at a height of 4 feet 11.5 inches (1.51 cm).

Is Kristi Yamaguchi married?

How much is Kristi Yamaguchi worth?

Yamaguchi has an approximate net worth of $1 million and $5 million. This amount has been accrued from her leading roles in the sports industry. Yamaguchi has not yet revealed her net worth. We will update this section when we get and verify information about the wealth and properties under her name.

How much does Kristi Yamaguchi make?