First Black Ice Skating Duo To Compete In Winter Olympics

More Black History is being made at the 2010 Winter Olympics. When France sends ice skating pair Yannick Bonheur and Vanessa James to compete it will be the first time in history that a black pair has graced the ice. The crazy part is that while they’re doing their part to change things, a Russian ice dancing pair is experiencing backlash over the lack of racial sensitivity they displayed in a recent competition. Pop the hood to find out what we mean.




Vanessa James, who was born in Canada and raised in England, began skating with Yannick Bonheur in December 2007 after answering an ad he posted looking for a partner. The pair moved to Indianapolis in the United States in August 2009 to train with Russian coach Sergei Zaitsev and last December they paved their way to Vancouver by winning the French nationals. That win also helped James receive French citizenship.

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