Olympic Gold Medalist Dorothy Hamill Says She 'Can't Imagine' Pressure Figure Skaters Face Now on Social Media (Exclusive)
Dorothy Hamill Vivien Killilea/Getty NEED TO KNOW Dorothy Hamill captured the gold medal at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria Hamill tells PEOPLE she "can't imagine" the pressure figure skaters face on social media now "I could never deal with what they're dealing with today," she says in an exclusive interview Dorothy Hamill says the pressure today’s figure skaters face on social media is something she “can’t even imagine.” “We didn’t have social media,” Hamill tells PEOPLE in an exclusive interview.
“I had a whole stack of telegrams. That was how people would wish you well. Not like today, thank goodness. I could never deal with what they’re dealing with today. That’s a whole other kind of pressure I can’t even imagine.” The iconic figure skater, 69, captured the gold medal 50 years ago at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, and became an overnight sensation.
She went on to make a small fortune starring in Ice Capades and TV specials, land scores of endorsement deals, create a nationwide trend with her famous bobbed hairstyle and earn the title of “America’s Sweetheart.” Dorothy Hamill competing in the women's figure skating event at the 1976 Winter Olympics Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Hamill says she feels deep empathy for modern stars such as Ilia Malinin , who recently spoke about the “insurmountable pressure" he felt after falling twice during his performance in the Olympic men's figure skating final at the 2026 Winter Olympics and facing harsh online criticism.
The 21-year-old American skater shared an Instagram post about dealing with "vile online hatred" and "insurmountable pressure" on Monday, Feb. 16, four days after he struggled through his free skate program. "On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside," Malinin began his post.
"Even your happiest memories can end up tainted by the noise. Vile online hatred attacks the mind and fear lures it into the darkness, no matter how hard you try to stay sane through the endless insurmountable pressure." Dorothy Hamill in 2017 Jenny Anderson/WireImage “I know what pressure is,” Hamill tells PEOPLE.
“Hopefully he’ll go on for many more years, or at least another Olympics, and be able to have a great comeback.” Hamill also credits major cultural and institutional shifts, particularly in mental health support, with helping today’s athletes manage intense scrutiny.
“The really wonderful thing about the USOC (United States Olympics Committee), USOPC (Paralympics Committee), they have access, which is phenomenal, they have people who can work with mental health for the athletes,” she says.
Madison Chock, Evan Bates, Ellie Kam, Danny O'Shea, Amber Glenn, Ilia Malinin and Alysa Liu celebrate during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games WANG Zhao / AFP via Getty “For instance, Simone Biles , we all remember the time she had, you know, ‘ the twisties ,’ and for her to come back four years later and do as well and win gold, that would never have happened in the years I was competing,” she says.
“It’s really wonderful how the Olympics are able to provide that.” To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, beginning Feb. 6, on NBC and Peacock.
Read the original article on People The iconic figure skater won the gold medal at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria The iconic figure skater won the gold medal at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria