John Baldwin, Jr.(born October 18, 1973) is an American retiredfigure skater.With partnerRena Inoue,he is a two-timeU.S. national champion.Inoue and Baldwin are the first skaters to perform athrow triple Axelin competition.
| John Baldwin | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Rena Inoue and John Baldwin | ||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | John Baldwin, Jr. | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | October 18, 1973 Dallas, Texas,U.S. | |||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | |||||||||||||||||
| Figure skating career | ||||||||||||||||||
| Country |  United States | |||||||||||||||||
| Partner | Rena Inoue | |||||||||||||||||
| Skating club | All Year FSC | |||||||||||||||||
| Began skating | 1975 | |||||||||||||||||
| Retired | 2010 | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Personal life
editBaldwin was born inDallas, Texas.His parents were both skating coaches.[1]His father,John Baldwin Sr.,competed as a single skater in the 1960s. His brotherDon Baldwincompeted in singles as well.
Baldwin attendedPoway High School.[2]He proposed to his skating partnerRena Inouein January 2008.[3]Their first daughter was born in November 2011 and the second four years later.[4]
Baldwin and his father have a used car business, Baldwin Auto Sales, inEscondido, California.[5]In March 2018, they were charged with non-compliance with financial reporting obligations.[2]Their cases were resolved in 2019 after they agreed to pay back taxes, penalties and interest.[5]
Career
editJohn Baldwin originally competed in both singles and pairs. With partnerTristan Colell,he competed at theWorld Junior Championships.
Baldwin was a veteran single skater, having competed at every national championship from his win at the novice level in 1987 through 2000. His best finish at Nationals as a senior was 9th in 1995. He won the 1995 national gold medal incompulsory figures.[6]
His father, who was a skating coach, arranged a tryout between Baldwin andRena Inoue,a Japanese skater living in America. Inoue and Baldwin tried out and agreed to form the partnership. They began competing together in 2000.[7]
They placed 11th at the2001 U.S. Championships.The following season, they won the pewter medal at the2002 U.S. Championships.They were sent to the2002 Four Continents,their first international competition together, and placed 7th.
In the 2002–2003 season, Inoue / Baldwin competed on the Grand Prix circuit for the first time. Returning to Nationals, they won the bronze medal. They withdrew from the2003 Four Continents,but placed 10th at the2003 World Championships.
In the 2003–2004 season, they improved on their Grand Prix results and won their first national title. They placed 4th at the2004 Four Continentsand repeated their 10th-place finish at the2004 World Championships.
In the 2004–2005 season, they medalled for the first time on the Grand Prix and qualified for the Grand Prix Final, where they placed 6th. They won the silver medal at the2005 U.S. Figure Skating Championshipsand placed 11th at the2005 World Championships.
In the 2005–2006 season, Inoue / Baldwin medalled on the Grand Prix. At the2006 U.S. Championships,Inoue and Baldwin became the first pair to successfully perform a throw tripleAxelin competition.[8]They went on to the2006 Four Continents,which they won. At the2006 Winter Olympics,they made Olympic and international history when they landed the throw triple Axel for the first time in international competition. They placed 7th overall. At the2006 World Figure Skating Championships,they placed 4th.
In the 2006–2007 season, Inoue / Baldwin won the gold medal at the2006 Skate Americaafter winning the short program and placing second in the free skate. They won the silver medal at2006 Skate Canada Internationalthe next week; and then won the silver at2006 Trophée Eric Bompardone week later. They qualified for theGrand Prix Final.While in Saint Petersburg for that competition, Baldwin was abducted, assaulted and robbed,[9]though he and Inoue were still able to compete, and finished fourth. At the2007 U.S. Championships,they won the silver medal. They placed 8th at the2007 World Championships.
In the 2007–2008 season, Inoue / Baldwin sat out the Grand Prix series, choosing to skate in shows instead. Returning to competition at the2008 U.S. Championships,they won the silver medal. While they were taking their bows following their free skate, Baldwin proposed marriage to Inoue on the ice and she accepted.[3][10][11]Inoue and Baldwin competed at the2008 World Championships,where they placed 10th.
Inoue / Baldwin were 5th at the2008 Skate Americaand won the silver medal at the2008 NHK Trophy.
Programs
edit(with Inoue)
| Season | Short program | Free skating |
|---|---|---|
| 2009–2010 [12][13] |
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| 2008–2009 [14][13] |
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| 2007–2008 [15][13] |
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| 2006–2007 [16][13] |
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| 2005–2006 [17][13] |
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| 2004–2005 [18][13] |
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| 2003–2004 [19][13] |
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| 2002–2003 [20] |
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| 2001–2002 [21] |
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Competitive highlights
editGP:Grand Prix
Pairs career with Inoue
edit| International[22] | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | 00–01 | 01–02 | 02–03 | 03–04 | 04–05 | 05–06 | 06–07 | 07–08 | 08–09 | 09–10 |
| Olympics | 7th | |||||||||
| Worlds | 10th | 10th | 11th | 4th | 8th | 10th | ||||
| Four Continents | 7th | 4th | 1st | 3rd | 4th | 7th | ||||
| GPFinal | 6th | 4th | ||||||||
| GPBofrost Cup | 5th | |||||||||
| GPBompard | 4th | 2nd | 4th | |||||||
| GPCup of China | 5th | |||||||||
| GPCup of Russia | 5th | |||||||||
| GPNHK Trophy | 4th | 4th | 2nd | 3rd | ||||||
| GPSkate America | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 5th | ||||||
| GPSkate Canada | 2nd | |||||||||
| National[22] | ||||||||||
| U.S. Champ. | 11th | 4th | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 3rd | 3rd |
Pairs career with Colell
edit| International | ||
|---|---|---|
| Event | 1990–91 | 1991–92 |
| World Junior Championships | 9th | |
| National | ||
| U.S. Championships | 8th J | |
| J = Junior level | ||
Singles career
edit| International | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | 88–89 | 89–90 | 90–91 | 91–92 | 92–93 | 93–94 | 94–95 | 95–96 | 96–97 | 97–98 | 98–99 | 99–00 |
| Junior Worlds | 3rd | |||||||||||
| National | ||||||||||||
| U.S. Champ. | 3rd J | 3rd J | 2nd J | 3rd J | 6th J | 13th | 9th | 11th | 13th | 12th | 13th | 15th |
| U.S. Champ. (figures) |
1st | |||||||||||
References
edit- ^"Athlete bio: John Baldwin".United States Olympic Committee. Archived fromthe originalon November 16, 2006.
- ^abZeigler, Mark (April 13, 2018)."Olympic figure skater under federal indictment in San Diego".The San Diego Union-Tribune.
- ^abElliott, Helene (February 2, 2008)."After their skate, the answer is yes".Los Angeles Times.
- ^Tevrizian, Megan (February 13, 2018)."North County Married Couple Knows How Olympian Skating Couples Feel".NBC San Diego.Archivedfrom the original on April 3, 2019.
- ^abZeigler, Mark (April 2, 2019)."Olympic figure skater and his father resolve federal case".The San Diego Union-Tribune.
- ^"Past U.S. Champions - Senior"(PDF).Xcel Energy Center. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on June 27, 2008.
- ^Kempf, Susanne (2006)."Baldwin: Rena is my idol".AbsoluteSkating.com.RetrievedFebruary 7,2011.
- ^Mihoces, Gary (January 26, 2006)."A first in pairs skating?".USA Today.
- ^Elliott, Helene (January 23, 2007)."Mugging leaves Baldwin recovering but still shaken".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedFebruary 16,2010.
- ^Benet, Lorenzo; Eldred, Sheila (January 28, 2008)."Olympic Skaters Get Engaged on Ice".People.com.
- ^Zeigler, Mark (January 27, 2008)."Baldwin wins Inoue's heart with proposal".San Diego Union-Tribune.
- ^"Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN: 2009/2010".International Skating Union.Archived fromthe originalon September 14, 2011.
- ^abcdefg"Rena Inoue / John Baldwin".IceNetwork.Archivedfrom the original on January 23, 2013.
- ^"Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN: 2008/2009".International Skating Union.Archived fromthe originalon July 11, 2009.
- ^"Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN: 2007/2008".International Skating Union.Archived fromthe originalon May 27, 2008.
- ^"Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN: 2006/2007".International Skating Union.Archived fromthe originalon April 26, 2007.
- ^"Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN: 2005/2006".International Skating Union.Archived fromthe originalon April 27, 2006.
- ^"Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN: 2004/2005".International Skating Union.Archived fromthe originalon April 4, 2005.
- ^"Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN: 2003/2004".International Skating Union.Archived fromthe originalon June 3, 2004.
- ^"Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN: 2002/2003".International Skating Union.Archived fromthe originalon August 4, 2003.
- ^"Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN: 2001/2002".International Skating Union.Archived fromthe originalon January 28, 2002.
- ^ab"Competition Results: Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN".International Skating Union.
External links
edit
- Rena Inoue / John Baldwinat theInternational Skating Union
- Rena Inoue / John BaldwinatU.S. Figure Skating(archived)
- Official site of Inoue / Baldwinat theWayback Machine(archived March 17, 2010)