John Coughlin (figure skater)

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John Patrick Coughlin
Denney and Coughlin in 2011
Born(1985-12-01)December 1, 1985
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
DiedJanuary 18, 2019(2019-01-18) (aged 33)
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S
Height1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Figure skating career
Country United States
CoachDalilah Sappenfield, Larry Ibarra
Skating clubKansas City FSC
Began skating1989
RetiredJuly 29, 2015
Medal record
Representing  United States
Figure skating: Pairs
Four Continents Championships
Silver medal – second place 2012 Colorado Springs Pairs
World Team Trophy
Silver medal – second place 2012 Tokyo Team

John Patrick Coughlin (December 1, 1985 – January 18, 2019) was an American pair skater. With Caydee Denney, he was the 2012 Four Continents silver medalist and 2012 U.S. national champion. With previous partner Caitlin Yankowskas, he was the 2011 U.S. champion. Coughlin died by suicide, one day after the United States Center for SafeSport announced he would face an interim temporary suspension over unspecified allegations.[2][3]

Early life and family

Coughlin was born in Kansas City, Missouri.[4] He was the son of a third-generation police officer.[5] His mother, Stacy, died in February 2010 due to a chronic illness.[6] He had a sister, Angela Laune.[7]

Career

Early years

Coughlin began skating at the age of six. Early in his career, he competed with Krista Smith, Kelsey Parker, and Lucy Galleher. He teamed up with Bridget Namiotka in late 2004.[8] They were the 2006 junior national silver medalists. They announced the end of their partnership on July 3, 2007.[9]

Partnership with Yankowskas

Dalilah Sappenfield suggested Caitlin Yankowskas as a potential partner and they had a tryout in early August 2007.[10] Yankowskas/Coughlin trained under Sappenfield in Colorado Springs, Colorado.[11] They placed sixth at the 2008 U.S. Championships and made their Grand Prix debut at the 2008 Skate America.[12][13]

During the 2010–11 season, their Ave Maria long program was a tribute to Coughlin's mother who died in February 2010.[14] They finished fourth at 2010 NHK Trophy and won the first Grand Prix medal, bronze, at Cup of China. At the 2011 U.S. Nationals, they placed first in the short program[15] and then won the free program to earn their first national title.[16]

In April 2011, Yankowskas/Coughlin placed sixth in their debut at the World Championships. It was the best result by an American pair since 2006.[17] On May 4, however, the pair announced that their partnership had ended.[17][18][19]

Partnership with Denney

2011–2012 season

On May 17, 2011, Coughlin announced that he had teamed up with Caydee Denney.[20][21] They trained under coach Sappenfield at the Broadmoor Skating Club in Colorado Springs.[20] Denney and Coughlin had a height differential of 14 inches (36 cm).[22] They made their competitive debut at the Liberty Summer competition in July 2011, winning the short program.[23] At the Nebelhorn Trophy they won the bronze medal. They were assigned to the 2011 Skate America and 2011 NHK Trophy, where they placed fourth and fifth respectively.[24]

Denney/Coughlin went on to win the 2012 US Championships and were assigned to Four Continents and Worlds. They won the silver medal at the 2012 Four Continents[25] and placed eighth at 2012 Worlds.[26]

2012–2013 season

Denney/Coughlin made their season debut at the 2012 Nebelhorn Trophy, winning the silver medal.[27] They won bronze medals at both of their Grand Prix assignments, the 2012 Skate America[28] and the 2012 Rostelecom Cup. On December 4, 2012, Coughlin underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left hip.[29][30] As a result, the pair missed the 2013 U.S. Championships but they submitted a petition to be considered for the U.S. team to the 2013 World Championships.[31] They were named in the U.S. team to the event but decided not to compete.[32][33] Coughlin was off the ice for about nine weeks.[34]

2013–2014 season

Denney/Coughlin won silver at the 2013 U.S. Classic, placed fourth at the 2013 Skate America, and won bronze at the 2013 Trophée Eric Bompard. They took the bronze medal at the 2014 U.S. Championships, finishing behind champions Marissa Castelli / Simon Shnapir and silver medalists Felicia Zhang / Nathan Bartholomay, whose total score was greater by 0.29 of a point. Denney/Coughlin did not receive one of the two American spots in the pairs' event at the 2014 Winter Olympics but were assigned to the 2014 World Championships.[35] They withdrew due to Denney's right ankle injury, sustained in practice on March 19.[36] Denney was expected to return to training after eight to twelve weeks.[36] In June 2014, the pair stated they would not compete in the 2014–15 season.[37]

Sexual assault allegations, skating suspension, and death

On December 17, 2018, the United States Center for SafeSport listed Coughlin's name with the note "Interim Measure – Restriction", following allegations that he denied.[38] He subsequently resigned as U.S. brand manager for John Wilson Blades.[7] On January 17, 2019, after SafeSport had changed Coughlin's status to "interim suspension", U.S. Figure Skating suspended him.[39]

The following afternoon, police were dispatched to his father's home in Kansas City following a report that Coughlin had been found dead by hanging.[2][3] The department confirmed Coughlin's manner of death to be suicide.[7] The incident report stated that he hanged himself.[40]

In February 2019, SafeSport closed the investigation, saying that "[the Center] cannot advance an investigation when no potential threat exists."[41]

In May 2019, in a Facebook post, former skating partner Bridget Namiotka accused Coughlin of having sexually abused her over a period of two years in the mid-2000s.[42] She had skated with him while she was between the ages of 14 and 17. He was four years older than she was.[42]

Namiotka died on July 25, 2022. Her parents released a statement that said, in part, "Bridget succumbed to her long struggles with addiction after several very difficult years of dealing with the trauma of sexual abuse."[43]

In July 2019, former US ladies' champion and World silver medalist Ashley Wagner reported that Coughlin had sexually assaulted her in 2008 at a US national team training camp.[44]

In December 2019, former US skater Melissa Bulanhagui accused Coughlin of having groomed her and other underage skaters at the rink where they both trained. Bulanhagui was between the ages of 14 and 18 at the time, and Coughlin was five years her senior.[45]

Programs

With Denney

Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2013–2014
[4]
2012–2013
[46][47]
  • Summertime Fantasy
    (from American Idol)
2011–2012
[47][48]

With Yankowskas

Season Short program Free skating
2010–2011
[49]
2009–2010
[50]
2008–2009
[51][52]
2007–2008
[51]
  • The Swan
    by Camille Saint-Saëns
  • Bram Stoker's Dracula
    by Wojciech Kilar

With Namiotka

Season Short program Free skating
2006–2007
[53][54]
  • Pearl Harbor
    by Hans Zimmer
  • Freedom
    by Michael W. Smith
2005–2006
[53][55]
  • Time to Say Good Bye
  • Disco Firebird
  • The Prince of Egypt
    by Hans Zimmer

Competitive highlights

With Denney

International[24]
Event 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14
World Champ. 8th WD WD
Four Continents Champ. 2nd
GP NHK Trophy 5th
GP Rostelecom Cup 3rd
GP Skate America 4th 3rd 4th
GP Trophée Éric Bompard 3rd
Nebelhorn Trophy 3rd 2nd
U.S. Classic 2nd
National[47]
U.S. Championships 1st WD 3rd
Team events
World Team Trophy 2nd T
(4th P)
WD = Withdrew
T = Team result; P = Personal result;
Medals awarded for team result only.

With Yankowskas

Yankowskas and Coughlin in 2009
International[56]
Event 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11
World Champ. 6th
Four Continents Champ. 4th 4th
GP Cup of China 3rd
GP NHK Trophy 4th
GP Skate America 6th
GP Skate Canada 7th
Ice Challenge 1st
Nebelhorn Trophy 6th
National[51]
U.S. Championships 6th 7th 6th 1st
Midwestern Sectionals 1st 1st

With Namiotka

International[57]
Event 2005–06 2006–07
World Junior Champ. 4th 4th
JGP Final 5th 6th
JGP Canada 4th
JGP Croatia 1st
JGP Czech Republic 3rd
JGP Norway 2nd
National[53]
U.S. Championships 2nd J. 9th
J. = Junior level

With Galleher

Event 2004
U.S. Championships 6th J.[58]
J. = Junior level

Men's singles

Event 2005
U.S. Championships 12th J.[59]
N. = Novice level J. = Junior level

References

  1. ^ "Biography".
  2. ^ a b Silverstein, Jason (January 19, 2019). "Coughlin kills self after being suspended". ww.cbsnews.com. On Thursday, SafeSport said Coughlin would face an interim suspension. The same day, U.S. Figure Skating said Coughlin was temporarily suspended from participating "in any capacity, in any activity or competition" tied to the skating league or the U.S. Olympic Committee.
  3. ^ a b Hackney, Deanna; Phillips, Chad (January 19, 2019). "John Coughlin, champion US figure skater, dies after sport suspension". CNN News.
  4. ^ a b "Caydee DENNEY / John COUGHLIN: 2013/2014 at the International Skating Union". Archived from the original on June 23, 2014. Retrieved May 2, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. ^ Kuzydym, Stephanie (February 7, 2012). "John Coughlin is inspired by dad's police service". USA Today. Retrieved February 8, 2012.
  6. ^ Borzilleri, Meri-Jo (November 18, 2011). "Coughlin, Denney are quite the pair". ESPN. Archived from the original on January 19, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c Brennan, Christine (January 19, 2019). "Former U.S. figure skating champion dies by suicide after being suspended from sport". USA Today.
  8. ^ Mittan, Barry (December 26, 2005). "Namiotka and Coughlin Make First Junior Grand Prix Final". SkateToday. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  9. ^ "Pairs Team Namiotka and Coughlin Announce End of Partnership". U.S. Figure Skating. July 3, 2007. Archived from the original on June 13, 2011. Retrieved July 28, 2011.
  10. ^ Walker, Elvin (March 13, 2011). "Yankowskas and Coughlin rising to the top". GoldenSkate.com. Retrieved April 8, 2011.
  11. ^ Pollock, Chelsey (February 5, 2011). "NH native skates her way to glory". New Hampshire Union Leader. Archived from the original on March 23, 2012. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
  12. ^ "Yanknowskas, Coughlin look for a moment – Figure Skaters Online". Figure Skaters Online. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  13. ^ "2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships" (PDF). US Figure Skating. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 25, 2019. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  14. ^ Ainsworth, Alexa (January 19, 2011). "Yankowskas, Coughlin have sights set on gold". UniversalSports. Archived from the original on August 10, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2011.
  15. ^ Walker, Elvin (January 28, 2011). "A new look and a first place finish". GoldenSkate.com. Retrieved February 2, 2011.
  16. ^ Walker, Elvin (January 29, 2011). "Yankowskas and Coughlin win gold with stirring tribute". GoldenSkate.com. Retrieved February 2, 2011.
  17. ^ a b "After finishing 6th at worlds, US champs split". usatoday.com. Associated Press. May 4, 2011. Retrieved May 4, 2011.
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  19. ^ Ainsworth, Alexa (May 4, 2011). "A blow for U.S. pairs skating". UniversalSports. Retrieved May 4, 2011.
  20. ^ a b "Caydee Denney and John Coughlin Announce Partnership". U.S. Figure Skating. May 17, 2011. Archived from the original on May 1, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2011.
  21. ^ Walker, Elvin (August 21, 2011). "Denney and Coughlin plan impressive debut season". GoldenSkate. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  22. ^ Penny, Brandon (June 15, 2011). "Powerful Denney & Coughlin taking risks". TeamUSA.org. Archived from the original on June 19, 2011. Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  23. ^ Rutherford, Lynn (July 15, 2011). "Denney, Coughlin fly high in Liberty debut". icenetwork. Archived from the original on September 24, 2012. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  24. ^ a b "Competition Results: Caydee DENNEY / John COUGHLIN". International Skating Union.
  25. ^ "Pairs and Dance Conclude Four Continents". Four Continents. February 20, 2012. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012.
  26. ^ Hersh, Phillip (March 30, 2012). "A Japanese medal for a skating world citizen". Chicago Tribune.
  27. ^ "2012 Nebelhorn Trophy: Nobunari Oda, Kaetlyn Osmond, Volosozhar and Trankov win gold". LifeSkate. September 29, 2012. Archived from the original on August 4, 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  28. ^ "(10/20/12) Denney & Coughlin Earn Bronze while Wagner and Davis & White Lead". Noodls. October 20, 2012.
  29. ^ "John Coughlin Undergoes Successful Hip Surgery". U.S. Figure Skating. December 5, 2012.
  30. ^ Rutherford, Lynn (December 5, 2012). "Coughlin leaves surgery in incredibly high spirits". IceNetwork. Archived from the original on April 20, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
  31. ^ Rutherford, Lynn (January 17, 2013). "Road to Omaha: Scimeca, Knierim taking it slow". IceNetwork. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
  32. ^ "Scimeca and Knierim to Represent Team USA at 2013 World Championships". U.S. Figure Skating. February 18, 2013.
  33. ^ Rosewater, Amy (February 18, 2013). "Sochi remains destination for Denney, Coughlin". IceNetwork. Archived from the original on April 20, 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2013.
  34. ^ Brannen, Sarah S. (April 15, 2013). "Denney, Coughlin back on road to Sochi Olympics". IceNetwork. Archived from the original on April 17, 2013. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
  35. ^ Voisine, Jamie (January 16, 2014). "Caydee Denney: 'We fought as hard as we could'". Ocala.com.
  36. ^ a b "Ankle injury knocks Denney, Coughlin out of worlds". U.S. Figure Skating. IceNetwork. March 20, 2014. Archived from the original on March 24, 2014. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
  37. ^ "Denney and Coughlin to Sit Out 2014-15 Season". U.S. Figure Skating. June 24, 2014.
  38. ^ Brennan, Christine (January 7, 2019). "Figure skating two-time U.S. champion restricted by SafeSport". USA Today.
  39. ^ Lutz, Rachel (January 18, 2019). "Former national champion pairs skater suspended by U.S. Figure Skating". NBC Sports. Archived from the original on January 19, 2019.
  40. ^ Brennan, Christine (January 30, 2019). "Police: Former U.S. figure skater John Coughlin died by hanging". USA TODAY. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  41. ^ Brennan, Christine (February 12, 2019). "SafeSport won't complete investigation into deceased figure skating champion John Coughlin". USA Today.
  42. ^ a b Murphy, Dan (May 21, 2019). "Ex-skater says deceased partner abused her". espn.com. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  43. ^ "Former figure skater Bridget Namiotka dead at 32 after coming forward as victim of sexual abuse". USA Today.
  44. ^ Brennan, Christine (August 1, 2019). "Olympic figure skater Ashley Wagner says she was sexually assaulted as a 17-year-old". USA Today.
  45. ^ Meyers, Dvora (December 17, 2019). "Figure skating, John Coughlin and the disturbing reality of athlete-on-athlete abuse". The Guardian. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  46. ^ "Caydee DENNEY / John COUGHLIN: 2012/2013 at the International Skating Union". Archived from the original on March 12, 2013. Retrieved May 2, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  47. ^ a b c "Caydee Denney / John Coughlin". Ice Network. September 10, 2018. Archived from the original on September 8, 2014. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
  48. ^ "Caydee DENNEY / John COUGHLIN: 2011/2012 at the International Skating Union". Archived from the original on April 19, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  49. ^ "Caitlin YANKOWSKAS / John COUGHLIN: 2010/2011 at the International Skating Union". Archived from the original on August 15, 2011. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  50. ^ "Caitlin YANKOWSKAS / John COUGHLIN: 2009/2010 at the International Skating Union". Archived from the original on March 26, 2010. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  51. ^ a b c "Caitlin Yankowskas / John Coughlin". U.S. Figure Skating. Archived from the original on December 26, 2011. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
  52. ^ "Caitlin YANKOWSKAS / John COUGHLIN: 2008/2009 at the International Skating Union". Archived from the original on June 25, 2009. Retrieved October 26, 2012.
  53. ^ a b c "Bridget Namiotka / John Coughlin at U.S. Figure Skating". Archived from the original on March 4, 2007. Retrieved September 16, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  54. ^ "Bridget NAMIOTKA / John COUGHLIN: 2006/2007 at the International Skating Union". Archived from the original on June 18, 2007. Retrieved January 27, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  55. ^ "Bridget NAMIOTKA / John COUGHLIN: 2005/2006 at the International Skating Union". Archived from the original on May 14, 2006. Retrieved January 27, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  56. ^ "Competition Results: Caitlin YANKOWSKAS / John COUGHLIN at the International Skating Union". Archived from the original on August 24, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  57. ^ "Bridget NAMIOTKA / John COUGHLIN at the International Skating Union". Archived from the original on September 16, 2014. Retrieved September 16, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  58. ^ "Junior Pairs Final Standings". 2004 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. US Figure Skating. Archived from the original on January 2, 2006. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  59. ^ "2005 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships Junior Men Final Standings". U.S. Figure Skating. Archived from the original on January 20, 2019. Retrieved January 19, 2019.

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