Ondrej Nepela was an Olympic gold medalist and three-time World champion Slovak

Slovaks

The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...

 figure skater

Figure skating

Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...

 who competed for Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...

 in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Career

Nepela began skating at age 7. He was coached by Hilda Múdra

Hilda Múdra

Hilda Múdra, née Hildegard Klimpel is a Slovak figure skating coach of Austrian ancestry. Her most successful figure skater was the 1972 Winter Olympics Gold Medalist Ondrej Nepela....

. His first major international competition, at age 13, was the 1964 Winter Olympics

1964 Winter Olympics

The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Innsbruck, Austria, from January 29 to February 9, 1964...

; he finished 22nd. He went on to win the European Figure Skating Championships

European Figure Skating Championships

The European Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition in which figure skaters compete for the title of European Champion...

 five times between 1969 to 1973; the World Figure Skating Championships

World Figure Skating Championships

The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...

 in 1971, 1972, and 1973; and the 1972 Winter Olympics

1972 Winter Olympics

The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan...

. Nepela wanted to retire from competition after the 1972 season, but agreed to continue one more year because the 1973 World Figure Skating Championships

World Figure Skating Championships

The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...

 were to be held in his home town of Bratislava

Bratislava

Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...

.

In his second autobiography, Toller Cranston

Toller Cranston

Toller Shalitoe Montague Cranston, CM is a Canadian figure skater and painter. He is the 1971-1976 Canadian national champion, the 1974 World bronze medalist, and the 1976 Olympic bronze medalist....

 details a sexual tryst between himself and Nepela at 1973 World Championships. Cranston was distracted and affected by their sexual affair and placed 5th while Nepela won the event and even earned a 6.0 during his free skate.

Following his amateur skating career, Nepela toured for 13 years as a soloist with Holiday on Ice

Holiday on Ice

Holiday on Ice is an ice show currently produced by Joop van den Ende's Stage Entertainment Group with its headquarters in Amsterdam, Netherlands...

. He then established himself as a coach in Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

. He coached Claudia Leistner

Claudia Leistner

Claudia Leistner, married Pfrengle, is a German figure skater. She is the 1989 European Champion.-Biography:She was initially a roller-skater but later took up ice-skating...

 to her European title in 1989.

Nepela died of AIDS

AIDS

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...

-related complications in 1989, at the age of 38. Since 1993, the Slovak Figure Skating Association has held a competition each fall called the Ondrej Nepela Memorial

Ondrej Nepela Memorial

The Ondrej Nepela Memorial is an annual senior-level international figure skating competition held in Slovakia. Skaters compete in four disciplines: men's singles, ladies singles, pairs, and ice dancing. In some years, some disciplines have not been held....

. In December 2000, the Slovak Republic named him Slovakian athlete of the century. His former coach, Hilda Múdra

Hilda Múdra

Hilda Múdra, née Hildegard Klimpel is a Slovak figure skating coach of Austrian ancestry. Her most successful figure skater was the 1972 Winter Olympics Gold Medalist Ondrej Nepela....

, received the award on his behalf.

Results

Event	1963-64	1964-65	1965-66	1966-67	1967-68	1968-69	1969-70	1970-71	1971-72	1972-73
Winter Olympics Winter Olympic Games The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...	22nd				8th				1st
World Championships World Figure Skating Championships The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...	17th		8th			2nd	2nd	1st	1st	1st
European Championships European Figure Skating Championships The European Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition in which figure skaters compete for the title of European Champion...		8th	3rd	3rd	3rd	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st
Czechoslovakian Championships Czechoslovakian Figure Skating Championships The Czechoslovakian Figure Skating Championships were a figure skating national championship held annually to determine the national champions of Czechoslovakia prior to the dissolution into the Czech Republic and Slovakia...		1st	1st	1st	1st	1st		1st	1st	1st
Prize of Moscow News Prize of Moscow News The Prize of Moscow News , also known as the Moscow Skate, Nouvelles de Moscou, and the Moscow News Trophy, was an international, senior-level figure skating competition held in the former Soviet Union from 1966 to 1990...				1st