Evan Lysacek

Having won a surprising gold medal at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, men's figure skater Evan Lysacek earned his place in American figure skating history alongside such top skaters as Brian Boitano and Scott Hamilton. Born on June 4, 1985 in Chicago, IL, Lysacek was raised in nearby Naperville by his father, Don, a building contractor, and his mother, Tanya, a substitute teacher. He began skating at eight years old after receiving a pair of skates for Christmas. Originally wanting to play hockey, his mother enrolled him in figure skating classes so he could learn how to skate. Lysacek made his first step toward Olympic gold when he won the U.S. national title at the juvenile level - the lowest qualifying level in competitive skating - in 1996. After moving up the ranks during the next two years, Lysacek won at the novice level at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in 1999. He was 13 years old. While attending Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, he continued to establish himself as a promising young skater, winning the junior title in 2000 and two silver medals during his second season on the Junior Grand Prix circuit.