PORTLAND, Ore. — A piece from an exciting yet infamous piece of figure skating history is up for auction.
Tonya Harding's sequined red skating costume, worn just a day after an attack on Nancy Kerrigan that roiled the skating world, is being auctioned off by Lelands, a sports memorabilia auction house.
The costume worn by Harding during the technical programs in the 1994 Worlds and the 1994 Olympics includes a copy of a letter from Harding, stating, "This red costume was worn during the following competitions — 1993 Nationals & the 1994 Nationals when I won the competition, also it was worn in the 1994 Olympic games."
The costume is missing a "small handful of beads around the neck," according to the Lelands listing, and does not have a size or manufacturer's tag. As of Thursday afternoon, there is only one bid of $3,000.
Born in Portland, Harding competed in the golden age of American figure skating, notably becoming the first U.S. woman — and second woman in the world, after Midori Ito — to land a triple axel in competition.
However, her career became forever marred, beginning one day before the U.S. Figure Skating Championship. Harding and Kerrigan, the defending 1993 champion, were among contenders for spots on the U.S. Olympic team. On Jan. 6, 1994, after a practice session, Kerrigan was struck in the kneecap with a metal baton by Shane Stant in an attack orchestrated by Harding's ex-husband Jeff Gillooly and bodyguard Shawn Eckardt.
As a result, Kerrigan was forced to withdraw from the 1994 U.S. World Championships, and just two days later, Harding won the gold medal.
Kerrigan soon recovered, being able to compete in the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. Kerrigan snagged the silver medal, with Harding placing 8th.
Harding later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to hinder prosecution related to the attack, which led to her lifetime ban from competing in figure skating. Harding was also stripped of her 1994 Championship title.
The Lelands Summer Classic Auction runs through June 29. Other items up for auction include Michael Jordan’s Bulls game-worn Air Jordan 1 sneakers from his 1985 broken foot game, a rare #78 LeBron James Upper Deck Exquisite RPA card and the 1972 Lakers NBA World Championship ring issued to Hall of Fame player/coach K.C. Jones.
