Paul Martini | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Paul Martini

Paul Martini, figure skater (b at Toronto 2 Nov 1960). Favoured to win the 1984 Olympic gold medal in pair skating at Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, Martini and partner Barbara UNDERHILL gave 2 disappointing performances and finished in 7th place.

Martini, Paul

Paul Martini, figure skater (b at Toronto 2 Nov 1960). Favoured to win the 1984 Olympic gold medal in pair skating at Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, Martini and partner Barbara UNDERHILL gave 2 disappointing performances and finished in 7th place. They made a comeback a month later to defeat Olympic gold medallists, Elena Valova and Oleg Vassiliev from the Soviet Union, and won the gold medal at the world championships in Ottawa. The pair returned to competition in the 1990s as professionals on the lucrative pro tour with numerous victories. They skated together for the last time on 26 May 1998 at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens. Inducted into the Canada Sports Hall of Fame (1997), Martini is a coach and sports commentator for the CBC.