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Oksana Baiul

Oksana Baiul

Oksana Serhiyivna Baiul-Farina (née Baiul; born November 16, 1977) is a Ukrainian retired competitive figure skater. She is the 1993 world champion and the 1994 Olympic champion in ladies' singles.

Baiul is the first Olympic Champion from Ukraine to compete under the Ukrainian flag. Baiul is the second skater representing Ukraine to win gold at the Winter Olympics after Viktor Petrenko in 1992. She is also the first Olympic champion of independent Ukraine in any sport.

After winning the gold medal in 1994, Baiul decided to move to the United States and participate in professional ice skating tours and shows. She followed one of her coaches to Connecticut. Later, she also became involved in a variety of TV appearances, and benefit skates. She has lived in the United States since 1994. In 1997, she published two books, a memoir about her life and one on skating.