Rudy Galindo
Rudy Galindo | |
---|---|
Full name | Val Joe Galindo |
Born | San Jose, California, U.S. | September 7, 1969
Height | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) |
Figure skating career | |
Country | United States |
Coach | Laura Galindo-Black |
Retired | 1996 |
Medal record |
Val Joe "Rudy" Galindo (born September 7, 1969) is an American former competitive
Career
Galindo began skating with his sister. Although the sport was expensive, his parents were supportive and forwent a chance to buy a house, settling instead for a larger trailer.[1] As a singles career, Galindo won the 1987 World Junior title.[2]
Galindo was paired with
Rudy Galindo's father died of a heart attack in 1993, and his brother, George, died from AIDS in 1994. Another coach, Rick Inglesi, died of AIDS in 1995.
Galindo stated that the American judges scored his programs lower because they disliked his "unmasculine, balletic-style of skating".[4] Christine Brennan of the Washington Post disagreed, stating that it was because he was not the best skater in the U.S. and predicted that he would never win a U.S. Championships. Figure skater writer Ellyn Kestnbaum states that Brennan must have not been paying attention to Galindo's practices during the 1995 Nationals, when he was ill with asthmatic bronchitis but was one of the best spinners in the competition. He was also the only male skater, other than his competitors Todd Eldredge and Scott Davis, who were practicing the triple Axel-triple toe loop combination jump, one of the most difficult jump combinations in competitive figure skating at the time.[4]
The 1996 national championships were scheduled to take place in his hometown, San Jose. Galindo decided to take advantage of this opportunity to compete in front of his mother, who no longer traveled, and his hometown. He resumed training in September 1995, with his sister Laura as his coach.
Galindo went on to win a bronze medal at the
Galindo retired from eligible competition in the summer of 1996 and toured with
Galindo coaches at
Galindo was inducted into the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.[13] He was elected to the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in December 2012.[15][16]
Personal life
Galindo is the third child of Jess and Margaret Galindo. He had a brother, George, who was ten years older and who later died of AIDS. His sister Laura is five years older.
In 1996, after winning the bronze medal at the Worlds Championships, Galindo served as Grand Marshall at a gay pride parade in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was the starter for a gay pride race in New York City, and appeared on the cover of Out magazine.[19] Kestnbaum states, about Galindo: "[He] proved that the American public could embrace a gay skater as a national sports hero".[20] Kestnbaum also reports that other skaters were inspired by Galindo, especially Doug Mattis, who had competed at the U.S. Nationals and was a professional figure skater.[20]
Rudy was very close to his family, especially his father, who made many financial sacrifices to help his son's career. Rudy states in his autobiography, "Icebreaker" that his sister Laura often drove him to practice years before she was old enough to have a driver's license. Laura gave up her career in part to support Rudy. She acted as his coach during the 1996 championship season.
In 2000, Galindo announced he was
After residing a number of years in Reno, Nevada, Galindo moved back to San Jose, California in 2006.[14]
Competitive highlights
Singles career
International | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Event | 1981–82 | 1982–83 | 1983–84 | 1984–85 | 1985–86 | 1986–87 | 1987–88 | 1990–91 | 1991–92 | 1992–93 | 1993–94 | 1994–95 | 1995–96 |
Worlds | 3rd | ||||||||||||
Asko/Vienna Cup | 1st | 1st | |||||||||||
Nations Cup | 4th | ||||||||||||
Prague Skate | 2nd | ||||||||||||
International: Junior | |||||||||||||
Junior Worlds | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | ||||||||||
Blue Swords | 2nd | ||||||||||||
Grand Prize SNP | 1st | ||||||||||||
National | |||||||||||||
U.S. Champ. | 1st N. | 5th J. | 3rd J. | 3rd J. | 8th | 10th | 11th | 8th | 5th | 7th | 8th | 1st | |
Levels: N. = Novice; J. = Junior |
Pairs career
(with Kristi Yamaguchi)
International | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Event | 1984–85 | 1985–86 | 1986–87 | 1987–88 | 1988–89 | 1989–90 |
World Champ. | 5th | 5th | ||||
Skate America | 5th | 2nd | ||||
NHK Trophy | 3rd | 4th | ||||
Skate Electric | 1st | |||||
International: Junior | ||||||
World Junior Champ. | 5th | 3rd | 1st | |||
National | ||||||
U.S. Champ. |
5th J. | 1st J. | 5th | 5th | 1st | 1st |
J. = Junior level |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Swift, E.M. (March 11, 1996). "On A Roll". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
- ^ "World Junior Figure Skating Championships: ISU Results: Men" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-24. (9.06 KB)
- ^ "World Junior Figure Skating Championships: ISU Results: Pairs" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-13. (10.5 KB)
- ^ a b Kestnbaum, p. 209
- ^ a b Kestnbaum, p. 210
- ^ Kestnbaum, pp. 209—210
- ^ Kestnbaum, pp. 210—211
- ^ Kestnbaum, p. 211
- ^ Rudy Galindo (USA) - 1996 World Figure Skating Championships, Men's Long Program, archived from the original on 2021-12-12, retrieved 2015-09-30
- ^ Rudy Galindo (USA) - 1996 World Figure Skating Championships, Exhibition Performances, archived from the original on 2021-12-12, retrieved 2015-09-30
- ^ Kestnbaum, pp. 211—212
- ^ "Rudy Galindo Undergoes Hip Surgery". U.S. Figure Skating. August 19, 2003. Archived from the original on December 5, 2003.
- ^ a b Elfman, Lois (August 31, 2011). "Galindo to enter San Jose Sports Hall of Fame". Icenetwork. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
- ^ San Jose Mercury News. Archivedfrom the original on February 26, 2012.
- ^ Almond, Elliott (December 17, 2012). "San Jose's Rudy Galindo elected to U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame". Oakland Tribune.
- ^ Elfman, Lois (December 19, 2012). "Galindo hits jackpot with hall of fame induction". IceNetwork.
- ^ "Rudy Galindo – Queer Silicon Valley". 2021-01-20. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
- ^ "Champion on ice: Rudy Galindo, figure skating's Latino, LGBT pioneer". NBC News. 2018-02-15. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
- ^ "Out Magazine - Rudy Galindo". magazine canteen. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
- ^ a b Kestnbaum, p. 212
- ^ "FIGURE SKATING; Galindo Facing H.I.V. With Candor and Style (Published 2000)". 2000-04-10. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
- ^ "FIGURE SKATER RUDY GALINDO SAYS HE IS HIV-POSITIVE". Chicago Tribune. 2000-04-05. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
Works
- Kestnbaum, Ellyn (2003). Culture on Ice: Figure Skating and Cultural Meaning. Middleton, Connecticut: Wesleyan Publishing Press. ISBN 0-8195-6641-1.