Tanith Belbin

The Beginning
Tanith Belbin was born on July 11, 1984 in Kingston, Ontario into a skate oriented family. Her mother Michele, a former skating coach and costume designer, introduced the young girl to the ice at the age of 3. She fell in love with the sport of ice dancing early on, but switched to pairs skating at the age of 10 when she couldn't find a suitable dance partner. From here, Tanith enjoyed competitive success winning a silver medal at the novice level at Canadian Nationals. But with a sudden growth spurt and an undying passion, Tanith switched back to ice dancing and ventured to Michigan in search for a new partner. And then fate stepped in...

Rising to The Top
Tanith, meet Ben Agosto. Ben, a Chicago native who also shared a passion for the ice, met Tanith in 1998 after their respective coaches discussed a potential partnership. After a 2-hour tryout and instant chemistry, Tanith and Ben teamed up and began what would become quite a journey.

In the early 2000's, Tanith and Ben achieved success at the international level, earning several medals in the World Junior Championships and continuing this trend at the senior worlds. However, because Tanith was not yet a U.S. citizen, the duo had to skip the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. Although discouraged, the partners trekked on, continuing their winning streak at many major competitions. In the 2005-2006 season, Tanith and Ben dominated many competitions, placing 1st in the U.S. Championships, Grand Prix, and Skate America. They also rose to international fame with a second placing at the World Championship. With this feat, Tanith and Ben qualified to be part of the U.S. Olympic team at the 2006 games in Torino. And with a little bit of luck, a lot of support, and the signature of George W. Bush, their greatest dreams were about to come true.

The Games
With the Olympics around the corner, the pair started to get nervous about the idea that they might miss out on another opportunity. Tanith had lived in the United States since 1998, but because she started the citizenship process before new rules went into effect, her citizenship would not have been completed before 2007. But fate stepped in once again and on December 31, 2005, a special act of Congress signed by President Bush enabled Tanith to become a naturalized citizen. The duo were now eligible to compete in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. And it was a good thing they did. On February 20, 2006, Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto won the silver medal in ice dancing, making them the first U.S. ice dancing team to win a medal in the Olympics since 1976. They had changed Olympic history.

Up To Date
Since the 2006 Winter Games, Tanith and Ben have skyrocketed to international fame both on and off the ice. In the 2006-2007, the duo has continued their success on ice, winning their 4th consecutive U.S. Championships and the Cup of Russia competition. Off the ice, Tanith has been earning rave reviews in the entertainment field. She has recently been pursuing her dream job as a broadcast journalist and is now under contract with Good Morning America as a contributing reporter. Last summer, her on-air performances were capped off with the ESPY's where she acted as a correspondent, interviewing the likes of Matthew McConaughey and LaBron James. With all of this, she is definitely making her mark across the board.

And through it all, Tanith has remained true to herself. Ben and she remain the closest of friends, spending time together in Canton, Detroit where they both train and live. When she's skating, you can find Tanith spending time with her family, friends, and pets or doing the things she loves like bike riding, cooking and shopping. But in the meantime, you'll find Tanith on the ice training for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and continuing to fulfill her role as America's ice princess.