Brian Boitano first became known internationally when he won a bronze medal at the 1978 World Junior Championship, followed by Canadian Brian Orser, who placed fourth. It was the first of many times that the two would battle for international medals. Boitano continued to improve and made the US team for the 1984 Winter Olympics, placing fifth. After the retirement of Scott Hamilton, the 1984 gold medalist, the 1985 World Championships were wide open, as skaters attempted to establish themselves as Hamilton’s successor as the top male skater. Aleksandr Fadeyev won the title, with Orser second and Boitano third. But over the next few years Boitano and Orser would dominate. Boitano won the 1986 World title, with Orser second, while they reversed those placements at the 1987 World Championship. The 1988 Olympic title was certain to come down to one of the two, in what was billed as The Battle of the Brians. The final result was Boitano with gold and Orser winning silver, but it was exceptionally close.
After the Olympics Boitano turned professional and dominated professional competitions. He also returned to compete at the 1994 Winter Olympics, when the rules on professionals competing were relaxed, but a poor short program cost him and he placed sixth. In 1996, Boitano was inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame and the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame .
United States