Andrée Brunet

Andrée Brunet (née Joly, 16 September 1901 – 30 March 1993) was a French figure skater. Together with her husband Pierre Brunet she won Olympic medals in 1924, 1928 and 1932, as well as four world titles between 1926 and 1932 in pair skating. She also competed in singles, winning the national title in 1921–1930 and finishing fifth at the 1924 Winter Olympics.[1]

Andrée Brunet
Andrée and Pierre Brunet in 1933
Other namesAndrée Joly
Born(1901-09-16)16 September 1901
Paris, France
Died30 March 1993(1993-03-30) (aged 91)
Boyne City, Michigan, US
Height165 cm (5 ft 5 in)
Figure skating career
PartnerPierre Brunet
Retired1936
Medal record
Pairs figure skating
Representing  France
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1932 Lake Placid Pairs
Gold medal – first place 1928 St. Moritz Pairs
Bronze medal – third place 1924 Chamonix Pairs
World Championships
Gold medal – first place1932 MontrealPairs
Gold medal – first place1930 New YorkPairs
Gold medal – first place1928 LondonPairs
Gold medal – first place1926 BerlinPairs
Silver medal – second place1925 ViennaPairs
European Championships
Gold medal – first place1932 ParisPairs

Biography

Andrée and Pierre are credited with creating mirror skating, new jumps, lifts, and spins.[2] At their first Olympic games, the 1924 Games in Chamonix, they performed more skills than any pair previously had. However, the judges thought they performed too many tricks, and they were awarded only the bronze. Other skaters took note though, and the Joly/Brunet style quickly became common in the sport.[3] Joly and Brunet continued to perform skills previously unseen in pair skating. Joly was also among the first female skaters to wear a black dress to match her partner's outfit, rather than the traditional white dress.[4]

Andrée and Pierre soon became the leading skating pair. They were French national champions from 1924 until 1935, and won four World Championships, competing in alternate years (1926, 1928, 1930, and 1932). They were Olympic champions in 1928 and 1932. She was one of the oldest female figure skating Olympic champions. They refused to defend their title at the Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936 Winter Olympics, however, in protest of Nazi Germany.[2][5]

Joly and Brunet also competed in individual events—Joly placed 5th and 11th at the 1924 and 1928 Olympics, respectively.[6] She was also the French women's champion from 1921 to 1931.[2]

Pierre and Andrée were married in 1929 (and thereafter competed under the name "Brunet" instead of her maiden name "Joly"). In 1936 they turned professional and toured Europe and Canada. In 1940 they emigrated to the United States. They then became coaches, and trained future Olympic champions Carol Heiss and Scott Hamilton. They coached in New York, Illinois, and Michigan until retiring in 1979.[1]

The couple had a son, Jean-Pierre, who became the U.S. pairs champion with Donna Jeanne Pospisil in 1945 and 1946.

The Brunets were inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1976.[7]

Results

Ladies singles

Event 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930
Winter Olympic Games5th11th
French Championships1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st

Pairs (with Pierre Brunet)

Event 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935
Winter Olympic Games3rd1st1st
World Championships2nd1st1st1st1st
European Championships1st
French Championships1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st

References
  1. Andrée Brunet-Joly. sports-reference.com
  2. Andrée Brunet and Pierre Brunet. Encyclopædia Britannica.
  3. Figure Skaters—Andrée Joly and Pierre Brunet, accessed 12 July 2006.
  4. Andrée Joly & Pierre Brunet at parisonice.net Archived 17 December 2005 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 12 July 2006.
  5. Great Olympians Biographies – BR, accessed 12 July 2006.
  6. Great Olympians Biographies – JO, accessed 12 July 2006.
  7. Hall of Fame inductees, worldskatingmuseum.org
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