Naomi Nari Nam

American figure skater

Naomi Nari Nam

Nam and Leftheris in 2006.

Born|  (1985-07-06) July 6, 1985 (age 38)
Anaheim, California
Height| 1.53 m (5 ft 0 in)
Figure skating career
Country| United States
Skating club| All Year FSC
Retired| October 10, 2008

Naomi Nari Nam (born July 6, 1985) is an American former competitive figure skater who competed in both single skating and pair skating. As a single skater, she was the 1999 U.S. national silver medalist. As a pair skater, she was the 2006 Skate America bronze medalist and 2007 U.S. national bronze medalist with Themistocles Leftheris.

## Personal life[edit]

Naomi Nari Nam was born July 6, 1985, in Anaheim, California.[1] She is Korean American and fluent in Korean. She married Tyler Poor on August 2, 2010, in Orange County, California.[2] The couple's son, Aiden Zachary Poor, was born in March 2011,[3] and their daughter, Bella Tatum Poor, on April 16, 2013.[4]

## Skating career[edit]

### Singles career[edit]

Nam won the novice ladies' title at the 1997 U.S. Championships. She was awarded the pewter medal on the junior level at the 1998 U.S. Championships.[citation needed]

Competing on the senior level, Nam won the silver medal at the 1999 U.S. Championships, behind Michelle Kwan. She subsequently received endorsements in South Korea and appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. As Nam did not meet the ISU's age criteria for the 1999 World Championships, 4th-ranked U.S. lady Sarah Hughes was sent in her stead. Although Hughes was also not old enough, she had an exemption due to her medal at the 1999 World Junior Championships. Nam had not competed at Junior Worlds because that season's competition had taken place prior to the U.S. Championships.[citation needed]

Nam competed in the 1999–2000 ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) series, winning a silver medal in Canada and placing 7th in Japan. She did not qualify for the JGP Final. At the 2000 U.S. Championships, she placed 8th and was not sent to the 2000 World Junior Championships.[citation needed]

John Nicks coached her in Costa Mesa, California.[5] Signs of tendonitis in her hip began appearing in July 2000; a few months later, she heard a pop as she practiced a triple Lutz jump and was subsequently diagnosed with a fracture in her growth plate.[6] After healing, she went to the 2001 U.S. Championships but had to withdraw due to hip pain which re-surfaced a day before the competition. After receiving a diagnosis of torn cartilage in her hip joint, she underwent surgery at Holy Cross Hospital in Florida.[6]

In 2003, Nam won the Southwest Pacific Regional title but placed 5th at the Pacific Coast Sectionals, which meant that she did not qualify for the 2004 U.S. Championships.[citation needed]

### Pairs career[edit]

Two weeks after deciding to switch to pair skating, Nam had a try out with Themi Leftheris, in April 2005.[7][8] After winning both Regionals and Pacific Coast Sectionals, the pair placed 5th at the 2006 U.S. Championships.[citation needed]

Nam & Leftheris at the 2006 Skate America.

In the 2006–07 season, Nam and Leftheris won the bronze medal at their Grand Prix assignment, 2006 Skate America. They won the bronze medal at the 2007 U.S. Championships behind Rena Inoue / John Baldwin and Brooke Castile / Benjamin Okolski. They ranked 6th at the 2007 Four Continents Championships.[9]

On August 24, 2007, Nam underwent surgery to remove a bone spur and to repair torn cartilage in her right hip.[10][11] She was on crutches for eight weeks and returned to the ice on October 19.[10] As a result, Nam/Leftheris withdrew from their Grand Prix assignments, 2007 Skate America and 2007 Cup of China.[11] They placed 7th at the 2008 U.S. Championships. Nam announced her retirement from competitive skating on October 10, 2008, citing her recurrent hip injury.[12]

Nam/Leftheris were coached by Peter Oppegard and Karen Kwan-Oppegard at the EastWest Ice Palace in Artesia, California.[7]

## Programs[edit]

### With Leftheris[edit]

Season  | Short program | Free skating

|
|

2007–08
[13] |

* Piano Fantasy
by Aaron Copland

* Liebesträume
by Franz Liszt

2006–07
[1] |

* Jalousie 'Tango Tzigane'
by Jacob Gade

* Gayaneh
by Aram Khachaturian
* Caravan

### Single skating[edit]

Season  | Short program | Free skating | Exhibition

|
|
|

2000–01
[14] |

* Cirque du Soleil: Dralion
by Violaine Corradi
* Ninkou Latora
* Bamboo
choreo. by Naomi Nari Nam, John Nicks

* Miss Saigon Rhapsody
by Claude-Michel Schönberg
choreo. by Naomi Nari Nam, John Nicks

* Sway
by Shaft, Burn the Floor
choreo. by Christopher Dean

* * *

* Even Now
by Linda Eder
choreo. by Jenni Meno, Todd Sand

1999–2000
[14] |

* Where Eagles Dare

* Pierre Boles
* Rondo Capriccioso
by Camille Saint-Saëns

* Rockin' Robin

1998–99
[14] |

* Cirque du Soleil

* Music
by Sergei Rachmaninoff

* Itty Bitty Pretty One

* * *

* Getting to Know You

1997–98
[14] |

* Sabre Dance
(from Gayane)
by Aram Khachaturian

* The Nutcracker
by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

## Competitive highlights[edit]

GP: Grand Prix; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

### Pairs with Leftheris[edit]

Nam & Leftheris on the podium at the 2006 Skate America. International[15]

Event  | 05–06  | 06–07  | 07–08
Four Continents |  | 6th |
GP Cup of China |  |  | WD
GP Skate America |  | 3rd | WD
National[13]
U.S. Champ. | 5th | 3rd | 7th
Pacific Coast | 1st |  |
WD = Withdrew

### Ladies' singles[edit]

International[16]

Event  | 94–95 | 95–96  | 96–97  | 97–98  | 98–99  | 99–00 | 00–01 | 03–04
JGP Canada |  |  |  |  |  | 2nd |  |
JGP Japan |  |  |  |  |  | 7th |  |
National[5]
U.S. Champ. |  |  | 1st N | 4th J | 2nd | 8th | WD |
Junior Olympics | 1st V | 4th I |  |  |  |  |  |
Pacific Coast |  | 1st I | 1st N | 1st J | 1st |  |  | 5th
Southwest Pacific | 1st V | 1st I | 2nd N | 2nd J | 1st |  |  | 1st
Levels: V = Juvenile; I = Intermediate; N = Novice; J = Junior
WD = Withdrew

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "Naomi Nari NAM / Themistocles LEFTHERIS: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 30, 2007.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
2. ^ Brannen, Sarah S.; Meekins, Drew (August 9, 2010). "The Inside Edge with Sarah and Drew - August 9". IceNetwork.com.
3. ^ Walker, Elvin (June 1, 2011). "Baby Steps for Naomi Nari Nam". International Figure Skating. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
4. ^ Brannen, Sarah S.; Meekins, Drew (April 22, 2013). "The Inside Edge: 'Ice Chips' takes on Finnish feel". IceNetwork.com.
5. ^ a b Skater Bios: Naomi Nari Nam at U.S. Figure Skating
* "2000–01". Archived from the original on April 20, 2001.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
* "1999–2000". Archived from the original on February 26, 2000.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
6. ^ a b Duhaime, Jake (December 14, 2005). "Naomi Nari Nam Returns to U.S. Championships as a Pairs Skater". U.S. Figure Skating. Archived from the original on November 24, 2007.`{{cite news}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
7. ^ a b "Meet Naomi Nari Nam & Themistocles Leftheris". figureskatersonline.com. Archived from the original on May 13, 2008.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
8. ^ Mittan, Barry (January 21, 2007). "Long Road to Success for Nam and Leftheris". Skate Today.
9. ^ "ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships". www.isuresults.com. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
10. ^ a b Cunningham, Nicole (February 2008). "Naomi Nari Nam Undergoes Surgery, Hopes to Compete at Nationals". International Figure Skating. Vol. 14, no. 1\. p. 58\. Archived from the original on December 4, 2016.
11. ^ a b "Interview with Naomi Nari Nam and Themistocles Leftheris". Golden Skate. October 8, 2007.
12. ^ Rutherford, Lynn (October 10, 2008). "Naomi Nari Nam retires from competition". IceNetwork.com.
13. ^ a b "Naomi Nari Nam & Themistocles Leftheris". IceNetwork.com. Archived from the original on June 22, 2008.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
* "Earlier versions". U.S. Figure Skating. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
14. ^ a b c d Programs at Naomi Nari Nam's official website
* "2000–01". Archived from the original on August 28, 2005.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
* "Previous programs". Archived from the original on August 29, 2005.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
15. ^ "Competition Results: Naomi Nari NAM / Themistocles LEFTHERIS". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on March 12, 2016.
16. ^ "Naomi Nari NAM". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on December 4, 2016. Retrieved December 4, 2016.

## External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Naomi Nari Nam.

* Official site of Nam & Leftheris at the Wayback Machine (archived September 14, 2008)
* Official site of Naomi Nari Nam at the Wayback Machine (archived February 29, 2000)