The story of Tonya Harding including triumphs, tragedies and ice-cold karma

Margot Robbie to play sports villain

Tonya Harding's legendary tale captures her rise to fame and abrupt fall from grace. 

Known for being the first American woman to land a triple axel in competition, she is considered one of the most controversial ice skaters in American history, according to her biography on olympics.com.

Harding's notoriety is established in the scandal involving Nancy Kerrigan, her primary rival during the 1994 Winter Olympics. A conspiracy aimed at eliminating Kerrigan from the competition spiraled out of control. Plotted by her ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, and accomplice Shawn Eckardt, assailant Shane Stant struck Kerrigan with a metal baton above the knee to knock her out of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

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Post-scandal, Harding landed on thin ice with the public and the skating world, leading to a forced resignation from the U.S. Figure Skating Association (USFSA) as part of her plea agreement for her role in the Kerrigan attack.

Figure skater Tonya Harding of the United States competes in a figure skating competition circa 1992. (Focus on Sport)

Harding's life is often viewed through the lens of two distinct eras: before the Jan. 6, 1994 incident and after the notorious assault on Kerrigan. Harding found her passion for ice skating at the young age of 3, showing undeniable talent that led to coaching by Diane Rawlinson, a former "Ice Capades" star, at her mother LaVona Golden’s insistence.

She won her first competition at the age of 5 and completed her first triple jump at 8, according to the Olympics website. She quickly made her mark with the triple axel, her signature move.

Harding's