Emily Hughes
An Olympic figure skater who carved her own path with athletic power and grace, emerging from her sister's shadow to claim national silver.
Born 1989 (age 37)·American figure skater·Birthday: January 26·Millennials
Biography
Emily Hughes stepped onto the ice with a famous last name, her older sister Sarah having already won Olympic gold. Born in 1989 in Great Neck, New York, Emily forged her own identity through a powerful, athletic skating style. Her breakthrough came in the 2006-2007 season, a year after she placed a respectable seventh at the Turin Olympics as a teenager. At the U.S. Championships that season, she delivered a commanding performance to seize the silver medal, proving she was a champion in her own right. She followed that with another silver at the Four Continents championship. Hughes combined formidable jumping ability with a bright, engaging presence on the ice. Her career, though impacted by injury, demonstrated the resilience required to excel at the highest level of a demanding sport, and she later graduated from Harvard University, blending athletic excellence with academic pursuit.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Emily was born in 1989, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Emily Was Born
The biggest hits of 1989
#1 Movie
Batman
Best Picture
Driving Miss Daisy
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Emily's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1989Born
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1994Started school
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2002Became a teenager
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2005Could drive
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2007Could vote
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2010Turned 21
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2019Turned 30
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 37 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the silver medal at the 2007 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
- Earned the silver medal at the 2007 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships.
- Represented the United States at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, finishing in seventh place.
- Was a two-time World Junior Championships medalist, winning bronze in 2005 and silver in 2006.
Did You Know?
She is the younger sister of 2002 Olympic gold medalist Sarah Hughes.
She was a last-minute replacement for Michelle Kwan on the 2006 U.S. Olympic team.
She attended Harvard University while still competing as a senior-level skater.
She won the U.S. national junior title in 2004.
“I skate for myself, with my own power and my own music.”
