Atoy Wilson
| Atoy Wilson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1951 or 1952 |
| Figure skating career | |
| Country | United States |
| Retired | 1971 |
Atoy Wilson (born around 1951 or 1952)[1] is a retired American figure skater. Coached by Mabel Fairbanks and then Peter Betts, he represented the Los Angeles Skating Club.[1]
Wilson began skating when he was eight years old; he asked for lessons after seeing an Ice Follies performance.[2] In 1965, he was the first African-American skater to compete at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, placing second in the novice division.[3] He and his mother were unable to stay at the official competition hotel, as it was segregated and only allowed white guests.[4] At the 1966 championships, he won the novice title despite falling on his first jump in his free skate and became the first black skater to win a national title in figure skating.[2][4]
Afterward, he moved up to the junior level and then qualified for the senior level, but in 1969, he chose to pursue a degree at Loyola Marymount University and finished his competitive career rather than attempt to qualify for the 1972 Winter Olympics team.[4] He toured professionally with Ice Follies and Holiday on Ice from 1971 until 1988.[5]
Following his retirement as a performer, Wilson was a coach and assistant director of ice skating schools for Hyatt Regency hotels in Dubai. A stint on the business side of Warner Brothers followed, and he is currently involved in production accounting for the television industry.[1] In 2025, he was added to the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame.[4]
Results
[edit]| National | ||
|---|---|---|
| Event | 1965 | 1966 |
| U.S. Championships | 2nd N. | 1st N. |
| N. = Novice level | ||
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Elfman, Lois (January 15, 2015). "Wilson looks back on barrier-breaking experience". IceNetwork.com. Archived from the original on July 1, 2018.
- ^ a b Piellucci, Mike (2017-01-12). "Throwback Thursday: Atoy Wilson, the Jackie Robinson of Figure Skating". VICE. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
- ^ "Skating champ". Baltimore Afro-American. February 1, 1966.
- ^ a b c d "Noyes, Roca, Horen Elected to U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame". US Figure Skating. 2024-12-02. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
- ^ Hines, James R. (2006). Figure Skating: A History. Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 0-252-07286-3.
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