XIII Winter Olympics Games - Lake Placid 1988 | Men's LP (Highlights)

In order of skating:
1. Konstantin Kokora (URS)
2. Robin Cousins (GBR)
3. Jan Hoffmann (GDR)
4. Igor Bobrin (URS)
5. David Santee (USA)
6. Charles TicknerShow more

This was possibly the most wide-open men’s Olympic championship. Nobody had established himself as the world’s best skater since John Curry turned professional after the 1976 Winter Olympics. There were four contenders – Robin Cousins (GBR), second at the 1979 Worlds and 1980 European Champion; Vladimir Kovalyov (URS), World Champion in 1977 and 1979 but somewhat erratic and never a European Champion; Charlie Tickner (USA), the 1978 World Champion; and Jan Hoffmann (GDR), runner-up at the 1977-78 Worlds and European Champion in 1977-79. Hoffmann jumped into the lead after the compulsory figures, with Tickner second and Cousins fourth. Kovalyov placed fifth and withdrew from the competition, due to illness. Cousins won the short program with Hoffmann second and Tickner only fifth. Going into the free skate, Hoffmann still led, with Cousins second and Tickner third. But Cousins also won the free skate to win the gold medal over Hoffmann, Tickner taking the bronze. Cousins received the only 6.0 in figure skating at Lake Placid, in his short program. Americans would placed 3-4-5, with David Santee fourth and Scott Hamilton fifth. Cousins never won a World Championship.