Oksana Baiul - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Oksana Baiul was only 13 when her mother, Marina, died. Baiul won the 1993 World Figure Skating Championship in her first senior competitive season at the age of 15. She then won the gold medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics, defeating Nancy Kerrigan from the US. Baiul nearly missed competing in the free skate altogether, having been injured after a collision with Tanja Szewczenko of Germany during a warm-up session following the ladies' short program. She received two Olympic-approved pain-killing injections in her lower back which enabled her to perform and complete her free skate.