Danielle O'Brien

Danielle O'Brien (born 7 February 1990) is an Australian former competitive ice dancer. With partner Gregory Merriman, she is a six-time Australian senior national champion and three-time junior national champion. They have competed at the World Championships and Four Continents Championships since 2008, and have competed at three World Junior Championships. They became the first Australian ice dancers to reach the free dance at a World Championships.

Danielle O'Brien
O'Brien/Merriman in 2011.
Born (1990-02-07) 7 February 1990
Sydney
Height150 cm (4 ft 11 in)[1]
Figure skating career
CountryAustralia
PartnerGregory Merriman
Skating clubSydney FSC
Began skating1997
RetiredApril 11, 2014

Career

Danielle O'Brien teamed up with Gregory Merriman, who also skated at the Canterbury Olympic Ice Rink,[2] in April 1998.[3] They were coached by Australian ice dancing champion Monica MacDonald in Sydney, Australia. In the 2009–10 season, they trained with former World champion Victor Kraatz and Maikki Kraatz. O'Brien/Merriman withdrew from the 2009 Nebelhorn Trophy, the final qualifying opportunity for the 2010 Winter Olympics, due to Merriman's diagnosis of pericarditis, a viral infection in the sac surrounding the heart.[4][5]

In the 2010–11 season, O'Brien/Merriman began training part-time in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan under coaches Anjelika Krylova, two-time World champion, and Pasquale Camerlengo. They relocated to Detroit to train there full-time in late 2011.[5] Although Merriman's heel of his boot separated during the preliminary round at the 2012 World Championships, they placed eighth out of 23 couples and qualified for the short dance, where they placed 20th and qualified for the free. O'Brien/Merriman became the first Australian team to qualify for the free dance at a World Championships. They finished 20th overall.

In 2012–13, O'Brien/Merriman finished 7th at the US International Classic, 4th at the 2012 Ondrej Nepela Memorial, 8th at the 2012 NRW Trophy and 4th at the 2012 Ice Challenge. In January 2013, they became the first Australian ice dancers to medal at an International event when they took bronze at the Toruń Cup in Poland. In February, O'Brien/Merriman competed at the 2013 Four Continents Championships where they finished with a personal best placement of eighth. They did not qualify for the 2013 World Championships due to new TES requirements.[6]

The 2013 Nebelhorn Trophy was the last chance to qualify for the Olympics; O'Brien/Merriman finished sixth and earned a place for Australia in the Olympic ice dancing event. At the 2014 Winter Olympics, they advanced to the free dance and finished 20th. They retired from competition on April 21, 2014.[7]

Programs

(with Merriman)

Season Short dance Free dance
2013–2014
[8]
  • Quickstep: Cotton Club Stomp 1
    by John Barry
  • Foxtrot: The Mooche
    by John Barry
  • Charleston: Cotton Club Stomp 2
    by Duke Ellington
  • Thunder and Blazes
    performed by Sounds of the Circus South Shore Concert Band
  • Goofus
    performed by Sounds of the Circus South Shore Concert Band
  • Complainte de la Butte
    by Rufus Wainwright
  • The Southerner
    performed by The Merle Evans Circus Band
2012–2013
[9]
  • Thunder and Blazes
  • Goofus
  • Complainte de la Butte
    by Rufus Wainwright
  • The Southerner
2011–2012
[10]
2010–2011
[11]
  • Waltz from Cousins
    by Erich Kuenzel
  • Quickstep: Dancing Fool
    by Barry Manilow
  • Boxes
    by Marvin Hamlisch
  • After Car
    by Marvin Hamlisch
  • Trust Me
    by Marvin Hamlisch
  • Golf
    by Marvin Hamlisch
Original dance
2009–2010
[12]		 Australian aboriginal music:
  • Yulara
    by Scott Wilson and James Drury
  • Warrama
    by David Hudson
  • Kikin Kooka's
    by Scott Wilson and James Drury
2008–2009
[13]
  • Beethoven's Last Night Overture
    by Trans-Siberian Orchestra
  • The Dark
    by Trans-Siberian Orchestra
  • Ouverture
    by Trans-Siberian Orchestra
2007–2008
[14]		 Australian Aboriginal music:
  • Forest Phunk
    by S. Wilson, J. Drury, Turtle on Yulara
  • Yulara
    by S. Wilson, J. Drury, Turtle on Yulara
Mamma Mia musical
by ABBA:
  • Overture, Prologue
  • SOS
  • Mamma Mia
2006–2007
[15]
  • Argentinos
    by C. Novell
  • Hey Sexy Lady
    by Birch and Morrisen
  • King Swing
    by Swing City Giants
  • This Business of Love
    (from The Mask)
  • Hey Pachuco
    by Crown Review
2005–2006
[16]
  • Mambo: Johnny's Mambo
    by Michael Lloyd
  • Cha Cha: Sway
    by Michael Buble
  • Samba
  • King Swing
    by Swing City Giants
  • This Business of Love
    (from The Mask)
  • Hey Pachuco
    by Crown Review
2004–2005
[17]
  • George of the Jungle
  • Pink Panther
    Henry Mancini
 White Stones
by Secret Garden, Rolf Lovland:
  • Steps
  • Windancer
  • Moving
2003–2004
[3]		 White Stones
by Secret Garden, Rolf Lovland:
  • Steps
  • Windancer
  • Moving

Results

(with Merriman)

Results[18]
International
Event 04–05 05–06 06–07 07–08 08–09 09–10 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14
Olympics20th
Worlds27th25th25th27th20th24th
Four Continents10th10th10th9th9th8th7th
Ice Challenge4th
NebelhornWD15th6th
NRW Trophy8th
Ondrej Nepela10th4th
Skate Down Under1st
Toruń Cup3rd
U.S. Classic7th
Volvo Cup12th
International: Junior
Junior Worlds26th23rd20th
JGP China10th
JGP Japan11th
JGP Taiwan10th
National
Australian Champ.1st J.1st J.1st J.1st1st1st1st1st1st1st
JGP = Junior Grand Prix; WD = Withdrew

References
  1. "Danielle O'Brien". sochi2014.olympics.com.au. Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
  2. Georgakopoulos, Chris (4 February 2014). "Ice dancing duo Greg Merriman and Danielle O'Brien primed for Sochi Winter Olympic Games". Canterbury-Bankstown Express. DailyTelegraph.com.au.
  3. Mittan, Barry (8 August 2005). "Australian Dancers Win First Gold". Skate Today.
  4. Moore, Emmeline (16 February 2014). "Australian ice dancers live dream after heart scare". Agence France-Presse. Google.com. Archived from the original on 16 March 2014.
  5. Miller, Nick (9 February 2014). "Greg Merriman, Danielle O'Brien prepare for Olympic debut". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  6. Noonan, Belinda (12 March 2013). "Disappointment for Aussie ice dancers has its benefits". Burwood Scene. Archived from the original on 12 March 2013.
  7. "Dani and Greg hang up the skates". Olympics.com.au. 11 April 2014.
  8. "Danielle OBRIEN / Gregory MERRIMAN: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 12 April 2014.
  9. "Danielle OBRIEN / Gregory MERRIMAN: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 25 August 2013.
  10. "Danielle OBRIEN / Gregory MERRIMAN: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 9 June 2012.
  11. "Danielle OBRIEN / Gregory MERRIMAN: 2010/2011". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011.
  12. "Danielle OBRIEN / Gregory MERRIMAN: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 29 May 2010.
  13. "Danielle OBRIEN / Gregory MERRIMAN: 2008/2009". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2 May 2009.
  14. "Danielle OBRIEN / Gregory MERRIMAN: 2007/2008". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 30 April 2008.
  15. "Danielle OBRIEN / Gregory MERRIMAN: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 April 2007.
  16. "Danielle OBRIEN / Gregory MERRIMAN: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 7 May 2006.
  17. "Danielle OBRIEN / Gregory MERRIMAN: 2004/2005". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 5 February 2005.
  18. "Competition Results: Danielle OBRIEN / Gregory MERRIMAN". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 12 April 2014.

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