With his unparalleled triple-jump combinations, Browning might have been a prohibitive favorite for Olympic gold; instead, his event looks like skating’s most wide-open competition. That’s because all those fancy jumps have taken a toll on his back. He couldn’t even compete in the recent Canadian championships. Other favorites are hurting, too, including Russia’s Viktor Petrenko and the United States’ Todd Eldredge.
Male figure skating has had what is euphemistically called an image problem. But Browning, observes his longtime coach, has “brought such strong physical ability to the sport that not many people seeing him skate would say, ‘This is just for sissies’.” Nonetheless, Browning answers-patiently if reluctantly-almost as many questions about his private life as Bill Clinton. In his autobiography, he felt compelled to write: “Let me just say, ‘I like girls’.” Even if Browning wins the gold, his back troubles may persuade him to turn pro. “There is such a thing,” he concedes, “as pushing my luck.”
