Tonya Harding costume from day after Nancy Kerrigan attack gets starting bid of $3K

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The attire Portland-born figure skater Tonya Harding wore the day after the notorious attack on Nancy Kerrigan, and at the ensuing U.S. Olympics, is now up for auction.

Sports memorabilia auctioneer Lelands posted the costume on Sunday, June 9 as part of its 2024 Summer Classic sale, and will accept bids through Monday, June 29. As of Thursday morning, it had just one starting bid of $3000.

“The red sequin costume lacks a size or manufacturer tag, and is missing a small handful of beads around the neck,” Lelands noted on its website. “Shown in the listing is a copy of a letter from Harding in which she states: ‘This red costume was worn during the following competitions - 1993 Nationals & the 1994 Nationals when I won the competition, also it was worn in the 1994 Olympic games."

Harding was seen wearing the outfit in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Jan. 7, 1994 — following the assault of fellow high-ranking figure skater Kerrigan. The incident occurred after a practice session in Detroit, where an assailant used a police baton to strike her landing knee.

The attack left her injured and unable to compete in the championships. Harding went on to win the U.S. title.

That same month, both skaters were chosen to represent the nation in the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. At the competition, held seven weeks after the assault, Kerrigan finished in second place while Harding finished in eighth.

She was suspected of planning the attack, especially after a commuter ticket to Detroit, a ticket from the Ice Skaters Association and an envelope with doodles of Kerrigan’s home arena were located in a dumpster behind Portland’s Dockside Saloon.

But in March 1994, Harding pleaded guilty to one felony charge of conspiring to hinder prosecution. It was determined that her ex-husband Jeff Gillooly and bodyguard Shawn Eckardt hired an assailant to assault her rival, but Harding didn’t know of their involvement until after the fact.

She was later stripped of her national title and permanently banned from participating in any U.S. Figure Skating events.

The 2017 film “I, Tonya” starring Margot Robbie tells the story of Kerrigan’s attack through Harding’s perspective. The film was critically-acclaimed, earning Robbie her first nod from the Golden Globe Awards.