Sarah Hughes

Sarah Elizabeth Hughes (born May 2, 1985) is an American former competitive figure skater. She achieved international prominence by winning the gold medal in the ladies' singles event at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, an upset victory at age 16 that marked the United States' first Olympic title in the discipline since 1992. Prior to the Olympics, Hughes secured the U.S. junior national championship in 1998, silver medals at the 1999 World Junior Championships and Junior Grand Prix Final, and a bronze medal at the 2001 World Figure Skating Championships. Following a brief continuation in senior competition, she retired after the 2003 season and pursued higher education, graduating from Yale University in 2009 with a degree in American studies. In her post-competitive career, Hughes has engaged in public speaking, advocacy for youth sports and education, and occasional media commentary on figure skating.

Her mother, Amy Pastarnack, is Jewish.