Joseph Mero(bornc.1965) is an American formerpair skater.With his skating partner,Katy Keeley,he won silver at the 1984St. Ivel International,gold at the1986 Skate America,bronze at the1987 Skate Canada International,bronze at the1987 NHK Trophy,and bronze at the1988 Grand Prix International de Paris.They are four-timeU.S. nationalmedalists, having won bronze in 1987 and 1989, and pewter in 1986 and 1988.

Joseph Mero
Bornc.1965 (age 58–59)
Height6 ft (183 cm)[1]
Figure skating career
CountryUnited States
PartnerKaty Keeley,Tammy Crowson, Maria Lako
CoachJohn Nicks
Retired1994

Personal life

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Joseph Mero was bornc.1965. His father, Joseph Mero Sr., worked at a paper plant inDetroit,and his mother, Bernie, hademphysema.[1]

Skating career

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Early career

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Mero began roller skating as a five-year-old and switched to ice skating six years later.[1]Competing with Maria Lako, he placed 5th in junior pairs at the1983 U.S. Championships.He and Tammy Crowson won the junior bronze medal at the1984 U.S. Championships.

Partnership with Keeley

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Mero teamed up withKaty Keeleyin 1984.John Nicksserved as their coach throughout their career as a pair.[2][1]

Keeley/Mero's first international medal, a silver, came at the 1984St. Ivel Internationalin England. They stepped onto a national podium for the first time at the1986 U.S. Championships,taking the pewter medal for fourth place. The following season, they won gold at the1986 Skate Americaand bronze at the1987 U.S. Championships.

In the 1987–1988 Olympic season, Keeley/Mero won bronze at the1987 Skate Canada Internationaland1987 NHK Trophybefore placing fourth at the1988 U.S. Championships.In 1988, Keeley sustained a concussion at an ice show in London.[1]

1988–1989 was Keeley/Mero's fifth season together. Granted free ice time at the Ice Capades Chalet inCosta Mesa, California,the pair was training on-ice daily from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.[1]They won the bronze medal at the1988 Grand Prix International de Parisand then received bronze at the1989 U.S. Championships.[3]After nationals, they decided to retire from competition.[2]

Partnership with Urbanski

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He skated one season withCalla Urbanskiin 1993–1994,winning the Eastern Sectionals but placing 7th at the1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

Ban by USFSA

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He is now banned for life from the USFSA andProfessional Skaters Associationafter a hearing found him guilty of Code of Ethics violations relating to harassment and abuse.[4]

Competitive highlights

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With Keeley

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International[5]
Event 84–85 85–86 86–87 87–88 88–89
International de Paris 3rd
NHK Trophy 3rd
Prize of Moscow News 4th
Skate America 1st
Skate Canada 4th 3rd
St. Ivel International 2nd
National
U.S. Championships 5th 4th 3rd 4th 3rd

With Lako and Crowson

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National
Event 1982–83
(Lako)
1983–84
(Crowson)
U.S. Championships 5th J 3rd J
National
Event 1993–94
U.S. Championships 7th

References

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  1. ^abcdefLudovise, Barbie (January 29, 1989)."Differences Melt Away When This Pair of Skaters Take the Ice".Los Angeles Times.
  2. ^abElfman, Lois (August 14, 2014)."Former pairs skater Keeley brings teamwork to OR".IceNetwork.com.
  3. ^Hersh, Phil (February 12, 1989)."Scrutiny Of Judges Comes Too Late".Chicago Tribune.
  4. ^GRIEVANCES / PERSONS BANNED OR SUSPENDED FROM U.S. FIGURE SKATING MEMBERSHIP / PERSONS PERMANENTLY BANNED FROM U.S. FIGURE SKATING
  5. ^"Results Book, Volume 2: 1974–current"(PDF).Skate Canada.Archived from the original on September 20, 2009.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)