At #Albertville1992, Surya Bonaly made history with a gravity-defying backflip on ice. 😲⛸️ #Olympics #MilanoCortina2026 #WinterOlympics #FigureSkating | Olympics

Surya Bonaly doing a backflip at the 1998 Olympics. Time code 3:29 for the flip. Listen to our newest episode to learn more. | Radiolab

In 1998, Surya Bonaly became the ONLY figure skater in Olympic history to land a backflip on one blade—a move banned since 1976. Already injured and out of medal contention, she had nothing to lose and everything to prove. This wasn’t rebellion for rebellion’s sake. For years, Bonaly dominated with athleticism that terrified judges. She could complete a quad (before women’s quads were “a thing”), jumped higher than most men, and brought gymnastics-level power to the ice. But judges consistently

Surya Bonaly was a groundbreaking Black figure skater known for her power and athleticism, famously performing a backflip on the ice at a time when it was discouraged and could lead to deductions or disqualification. Her bold style challenged the traditional image of figure skating, yet she was often judged more harshly and limited by rules that seemed to suppress her innovation. Her experience has since become part of a larger conversation about bias, fairness, and how the sport has historicall

Surya Bonaly, Olympic 1994, Exhibition Credit: YT Mintaka Alnilam | Figure Skating Moments