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

At the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, French figure skater Surya Bonaly made history by performing a one-footed backflip during her free skate, a move banned in figure skating for safety reasons. She landed perfectly on one blade, a unique achievement in Olympic history. Though penalized by the judges, her bold act became legendary, showcasing her defiance, skill, and individuality in a sport with rigid traditions. As one of the few Black skaters, Bonaly faced ongoing criticism and lack of reco

During her final free skate at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, French figure skater Surya Bonaly performed a backflip and landed it cleanly on a single blade, a move that had been banned in competition since 1976. Knowing she was already out of medal contention due to a prior injury, she chose to execute the illegal jump as a deliberate act of defiance against a judging system she felt repeatedly undervalued her athletic power and style. Credit: The Olympics | History In Pictures

Surya Bonaly, l’une des plus grandes patineuses françaises, a marqué l’histoire du patinage artistique en réalisant un backflip unique aux Jeux olympiques de Nagano en 1998, atterrissant sur une seule lame, une prouesse jamais vue auparavant. À l’époque, cette figure était interdite en compétition, et malgré l’ovation du public, elle fut sévèrement pénalisée par les juges, terminant loin du podium. Aujourd'hui de jeunes patineurs comme Ilia Malinin tente de reproduire son exploit aux JO de Milan