Debi Thomas
Encyclopedia
Debra Janine "Debi" Thomas M.D. (born March 25, 1967) is an American
figure skater and physician
. She is the 1986 World champion
and 1988 Olympic bronze medalist
, having taken part in the Battle of the Carmens
at those games.
In 1988, Thomas married Brian Vanden Hogen, a fellow college student. They later divorced and in 1996 she married former University of Arkansas football player Chris Bequette. She has a son, Christopher Jules ("Luc"), born in 1997.
Debi is the aunt of current University of Arkansas football defensive end and an SEC All-Freshman selection Jake Bequette.
Thomas won both the 1986 U.S. national title
and the 1986 World Championships
; those achievements earned Thomas the ABC
's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year award that year. She was the first female athlete to win those titles while attending college full time since Tenley Albright
in the 1950s. She was the first African-American to hold U.S. National titles in ladies' singles figure skating. Thomas was a pre-med student at Stanford University
during this time although it was unusual for a top U.S. skater to go to college at the same time as competing.
In 1987, Thomas was injured with Achilles tendinitis in both ankles and struggled at the U.S. Nationals, placing second to Jill Trenary
, but rebounded at the World Championships, finishing a close second to East German skater Katarina Witt
.
In January 1988, Thomas reclaimed the U.S. National title. At the 1988 Winter Olympics held in Calgary
, she and Katarina Witt
engaged in a rivalry that the media dubbed the "Battle of the Carmens
", as both women skated their long programs to the music of Bizet's opera Carmen
. Thomas skated strong compulsory figures
and performed well in the short program to an instrumental version of "Something in My House" by Dead or Alive
, but performed poorly in the long program. Thomas fell three (3) times in the long program. She placed fifth in the long program and won the bronze medal, behind Witt and Canadian skater Elizabeth Manley
(Thomas fell from first place going into the long program to third place overall in the final standings). Thomas won the bronze medal at the 1988 World Figure Skating Championships and then retired from amateur skating.
Thomas was inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2000. She was also selected by President George W. Bush
to be part of the U.S. Delegation for the Opening Ceremonies of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin Italy along with other former Olympians: Dorothy Hamill
, Eric Heiden
, Kerri Strug, and Herschel Walker
. Debi recently returned to the ice briefly to participate in "The Caesars Tribute: A Salute to the Golden Age of American Skating", an event which featured many of the greatest legends and icons of American figure skating.
in 1991 with a degree in engineering and from the Northwestern University
Feinberg School of Medicine
in 1997. Thomas followed this with a surgical residency at the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences Hospital
and an orthopedic surgery residency at the Martin Luther King Jr./Charles Drew University Medical Center
in South Central Los Angeles
.
In June 2005, Thomas graduated from the Orthopaedic Residency Program at Charles R. Drew University in Los Angeles. She spent the next year preparing for Step I of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons' exam and working at King-Drew Medical Center as a junior attending physician specialist. In July 2006, she began a one-year fellowship at the Dorr Arthritis Institute at Centinela Hospital in Inglewood, California
, for sub-specialty training in adult reconstructive surgery.
As of November 2010, Thomas is in private practice at ORTHO X-cellence Debra J. Thomas, MD, PC in Richlands, Virginia.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
figure skater and physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
. She is the 1986 World champion
World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
and 1988 Olympic bronze medalist
Figure skating at the 1988 Winter Olympics
Figure skating at the 1988 Winter OlympicsThe events took place at the Stampede Corral and the Olympic Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.-Medal table:-Men's:-Free Skate final standings :Referee:* Sonia Bianchetti...
, having taken part in the Battle of the Carmens
Battle of the Carmens
The Battle of the Carmens is an informal name given to a figure skating rivalry between East German Katarina Witt and American Debi Thomas during the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. The competition is so named because both Witt and Thomas independently elected to skate to the music of Bizet's...
at those games.
Personal life
Thomas was born in Poughkeepsie, New York.In 1988, Thomas married Brian Vanden Hogen, a fellow college student. They later divorced and in 1996 she married former University of Arkansas football player Chris Bequette. She has a son, Christopher Jules ("Luc"), born in 1997.
Debi is the aunt of current University of Arkansas football defensive end and an SEC All-Freshman selection Jake Bequette.
Career
She represented the Los Angeles Figure Skating Club from 1983 on, which launched her career. She was coached by Alex McGowan from age 10 until she retired from amateur competition at age 21.Thomas won both the 1986 U.S. national title
United States Figure Skating Championships
The United States Figure Skating Championships is figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of the United States. The competition is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. In the U.S. skating community, the event is often referred to informally as "Nationals".Skaters...
and the 1986 World Championships
1986 World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
; those achievements earned Thomas the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year award that year. She was the first female athlete to win those titles while attending college full time since Tenley Albright
Tenley Albright
Tenley Emma Albright, M.D. is an American figure skater. She is the 1956 Olympic champion in Ladies' Singles, 1952 Olympic silver medalist, the 1953 & 1955 World Champion, the 1953 & 1955 North American champion, and the 1952–1956 U.S...
in the 1950s. She was the first African-American to hold U.S. National titles in ladies' singles figure skating. Thomas was a pre-med student at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
during this time although it was unusual for a top U.S. skater to go to college at the same time as competing.
In 1987, Thomas was injured with Achilles tendinitis in both ankles and struggled at the U.S. Nationals, placing second to Jill Trenary
Jill Trenary
Jill Ann Trenary is an American figure skater. She was a 3-time U.S. champion and won the World Figure Skating Championships in 1990....
, but rebounded at the World Championships, finishing a close second to East German skater Katarina Witt
Katarina Witt
Katarina Witt is a German figure skater and model. In Germany she was commonly called "Kati" in the past, but today her full name is used more often....
.
In January 1988, Thomas reclaimed the U.S. National title. At the 1988 Winter Olympics held in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, she and Katarina Witt
Katarina Witt
Katarina Witt is a German figure skater and model. In Germany she was commonly called "Kati" in the past, but today her full name is used more often....
engaged in a rivalry that the media dubbed the "Battle of the Carmens
Battle of the Carmens
The Battle of the Carmens is an informal name given to a figure skating rivalry between East German Katarina Witt and American Debi Thomas during the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. The competition is so named because both Witt and Thomas independently elected to skate to the music of Bizet's...
", as both women skated their long programs to the music of Bizet's opera Carmen
Carmen
Carmen is a French opéra comique by Georges Bizet. The libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée, first published in 1845, itself possibly influenced by the narrative poem The Gypsies by Alexander Pushkin...
. Thomas skated strong compulsory figures
Compulsory figures
Compulsory figures or school figures were formerly an aspect of the sport of figure skating, from which the sport derives its name. Carving specific patterns or figures into the ice was the original focus of the sport. The patterns of compulsory figures all derive from the basic figure eight...
and performed well in the short program to an instrumental version of "Something in My House" by Dead or Alive
Dead or Alive (band)
Dead or Alive were a British New Wave band from Wirral, England, United Kingdom, Europe. The band rose to fame in the 1980s with their number one single on the UK Singles Chart, "You Spin Me Round ". They were the first group to have a number one single under the production team Stock Aitken Waterman...
, but performed poorly in the long program. Thomas fell three (3) times in the long program. She placed fifth in the long program and won the bronze medal, behind Witt and Canadian skater Elizabeth Manley
Elizabeth Manley
Elizabeth Ann Manley, CM is a Canadian figure skater. She is the 1988 Olympic silver medalist, 1988 World silver medalist, and three-time Canadian champion.-Early life and training:...
(Thomas fell from first place going into the long program to third place overall in the final standings). Thomas won the bronze medal at the 1988 World Figure Skating Championships and then retired from amateur skating.
Thomas was inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2000. She was also selected by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
to be part of the U.S. Delegation for the Opening Ceremonies of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin Italy along with other former Olympians: Dorothy Hamill
Dorothy Hamill
Dorothy Stuart Hamill is an American figure skater. She is the 1976 Olympic champion in Ladies' Singles and 1976 World Champion.-Early life:...
, Eric Heiden
Eric Heiden
Eric Arthur Heiden, M.D. is an American former long track speed skater and road cyclist who won all the men's speed skating races, and thus an unprecedented five individual gold medals, and set four Olympic records and one world record at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York,...
, Kerri Strug, and Herschel Walker
Herschel Walker
Herschel Junior Walker is an American mixed martial artist and a former American football player. He played college football for the University of Georgia Bulldogs and earned the 1982 Heisman Trophy. He began his professional career with the New Jersey Generals of the United States Football League...
. Debi recently returned to the ice briefly to participate in "The Caesars Tribute: A Salute to the Golden Age of American Skating", an event which featured many of the greatest legends and icons of American figure skating.
Medical career
After her figure skating career, Thomas went back to school to become an orthopedic surgeon. She graduated from Stanford UniversityStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in 1991 with a degree in engineering and from the Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
Feinberg School of Medicine
Feinberg School of Medicine
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, located in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois and situated near Lake Michigan and the Magnificent Mile, is one of Northwestern University's 11 schools and colleges...
in 1997. Thomas followed this with a surgical residency at the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences Hospital
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is part of the University of Arkansas System, a state-run university in the U.S. state of Arkansas...
and an orthopedic surgery residency at the Martin Luther King Jr./Charles Drew University Medical Center
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science is a WASC accredited, private, non-profit school located in Willowbrook, unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States. It was founded in 1966 in response to inadequate medical facilities within the Watts region of Los Angeles,...
in South Central Los Angeles
South Los Angeles
South Los Angeles, often abbreviated as South L.A. and formerly South Central Los Angeles, is the official name for a large geographic and cultural portion lying to the southwest and southeast of downtown Los Angeles, California. The area was formerly called South Central, and is still widely known...
.
In June 2005, Thomas graduated from the Orthopaedic Residency Program at Charles R. Drew University in Los Angeles. She spent the next year preparing for Step I of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons' exam and working at King-Drew Medical Center as a junior attending physician specialist. In July 2006, she began a one-year fellowship at the Dorr Arthritis Institute at Centinela Hospital in Inglewood, California
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census...
, for sub-specialty training in adult reconstructive surgery.
As of November 2010, Thomas is in private practice at ORTHO X-cellence Debra J. Thomas, MD, PC in Richlands, Virginia.
Programs
| Season | Short Programs | Long Program | Exhibition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987-1988 | "Something in My House" by Dead or Alive |
Carmen Bizet |
Competitive highlights
| Event | 1982-83 | 1983-84 | 1984-85 | 1985-86 | 1986-87 | 1987-88 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympics Winter Olympic Games The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating... |
3rd | |||||
| World Championships World Figure Skating Championships The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion... |
5th | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | ||
| U.S. Championships United States Figure Skating Championships The United States Figure Skating Championships is figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of the United States. The competition is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. In the U.S. skating community, the event is often referred to informally as "Nationals".Skaters... |
13th | 6th | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 1st |
| Skate America Skate America Skate America is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. It is organized by the United States Figure Skating Association. The location changes yearly... |
1st | |||||
| Skate Canada International Skate Canada International The Skate Canada International is an international, senior-level invitation-only figure skating competition organized by Skate Canada. It is the second competition of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating. The location changes yearly. Medals are awarded in four disciplines: Ladies' singles, Men's... |
1st | |||||
| NHK Trophy NHK Trophy The NHK Trophy is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. Figure skaters compete in the disciplines of ladies' singles, men's singles, pair skating, and ice dancing.... |
2nd | |||||
| Nebelhorn Trophy Nebelhorn Trophy The Nebelhorn Trophy is an international senior-level figure skating competition organized by the Deutsche Eislauf-Union and held annually in Oberstdorf, Germany. The competition is named after the Nebelhorn, a nearby mountain.... |
1st |