Tara Lipinski has undergone a stunning transformation.
Neither Lipinski nor the world could ever forget such astunning program!
These days, Lipinski is sitting pretty while living the dream as a famous sports commentator.
But Lipinski’s evolution from little girl to Olympic champion to living legend wasn’t just a straight line.
And believe it or not, Lipinski wasn’t born wearing ice skates.
Curious to know more?
This is the stunning transformation of Tara Lipinski.
Out of the gate, Lipinski was enamored with the idea of becoming an Olympic champion.
“I was very young, so I don’t think I really knew what was happening.”
Okay, we did that, too, but we didn’t actually go on to live it.
It really can be quite the emotional moment, especially when your favorite athlete wins!
While Lipinski proved to be quite good at roller-skating, that, ultimately, wasn’t her true calling.
Still, it wasn’t until later that Lipinski “switched over to ice skating.”
And, of course, as we all know now, she fell in love with the winter sport.
She also proved to be quite good at it and started training pretty regularly.
To that end, the family picked up and moved to Texas in 1991.
“I would talk to my dad every night, but I didn’t see him.”
“I think they both really believed in me and in my dream,” she continued.
That’s where Lipinski trained with coach Richard Callaghan (viaThe New York Times).
“Of course, you think back and wonder, ‘What would prom have been like?’
I didn’t have those normal high school experiences,” she toldCosmopolitan.
Fortunately, Lipinski wasn’t stuck all by herself.
“I was pretty lucky, I had tons of friends at the rink,” she continued.
“It was different than high school, yes, but we still had sleepovers and hung out.
It wasn’t like I was isolated in a rink every day with no friends.”
Another thing Lipinski is grateful for, on top of those connections, is her parents' authentic support.
Namely, journalists felt it their duty to comment on her diminutive size, which left scars.
Fortunately, Lipinski had fierce support from her parents, who also worked to protect her body image.
“When she saw other skaters restricting their diets, she tried to hide it from me.”
“Would you say I thought [about my diet] more than a normal person?
Yes,” she added.
Remember that fall?
“That was the lowest point [in my career],” she lamented in an interview withCosmopolitan.
Naturally, Lipinski was utterly crestfallen, afraid that she’d blown her big shot.
“And all of a sudden, you have a title of being an Olympic champion.”
Well deserved, Tara!
We remember the day well.
“It means a lot to be an Olympian.”
She also became a professional skater and toured with Stars on Ice, among other activities.
For sure, homegirl was busy.
Well, there was a reason for that: She had an injury that required hip surgery.
“That was the reason why I turned professional,” she explained toCY Interview.
May as well go out on top, right?
But, eventually, Lipinski realized she needed to step back from her professional duties.
“I also didn’t want to just skate forever and stay on tour,” she toldCosmopolitan.
So what exactly did Lipinski do in the late 2000s that weren’t jam-packed with work?
That sounds like a much-needed respite that let Lipinski be a person for the first time.
“I was scared I’d never find it again,” she revealed in an interview withCosmopolitan.
“I found my new high,” she continued.
“There’s just something about broadcast, especially live commentary, that’s exhilarating.
Having to articulate stories and thoughts on the fly is fun and exciting.”
And she’s darn good at it, too.
In fact, they got so tight that they asked if they could commentate together as a pair.
“It was just one of those instant connections,” Lipinski explained toGQ.
“And we said: Why aren’t we doing this together?
So we asked if we could.”
After getting the green light, Lipinski and Weir quickly became television icons.
And by the 2014 winter Olympics, they werefriends for life.
“On air and off air we just started to bond,” Lipinski continued.
“It’s like a long-lost soul mate that I met late in life.
I can’t imagine my life without him.”
We are so here for this!
“It was the best day of my life,” Lipinski gushed in a chat withPeople.
Congrats, you two lovebirds!
And, of course, Weir was in attendance as Lipinski’s “bridesman.”
After the big day, Lipinski and Kapostasy took off on a seven-week honeymoon around the world.
“It was a fairy tale come to life,” Lipinski added.
However, Lipinski returned to the world of comedic television a decade later.
“I think it’s a lot of fun,” she explained in an interview withEntertainment Tonight.
“I’m just so grateful that this opportunity came around, so why not?”
Lipinski had a blast on set and made some amazing memories during her time on the show.
“It’s such a crazy role to play.
“You gotta take it wherever you might.”
We are here for this wholesome content.
