Gregory Kelley
Gregory Eric Kelley ( * 1944, † February 15, 1961 in Mountain Kampenhout, Belgium) was an American figure skater, who started in a single run.
He was the youngest child of Dr. Vincent and Nathalie Kelley and grew up with his five brothers and sisters in Newton, Massachusetts, on. He began skating at the age of eight years, when he took part with his Catholic school class at a skating course in the Skating Club of Boston and then joined the club to train at the famous Montgomery Wilson can. Until 1958, he won all the national championships in which he participated. His oldest sister Nathalie drove and accompanied him to every tournament and stood him supportive to the side.
After he became junior champion in 1959, Kelley moved to Colorado Springs to train at Edi Scholdan in Broadmoor club. Kelley hoped to follow in the footsteps of Hayes Alan Jenkins and David Jenkins occur and be Scholdans third Olympic champion in a row. Professional wanted, every student succeed his father and become a doctor. In 1960 he first participated at the senior championships and finished fifth. He qualified for the World Cup in 1960, where he finished ninth. 1961 Kelley was national runner-up behind Bradley Lord.
As the reigning U.S. runner Kelley had in common with his sister Nathalie and his coach Edi Scholdan aboard Sabena flight 548, which was to take them to the World Championships in Prague. The night flight should stop over in Brussels. There, however, the pilot had to take break and new start-up, to try it on a different runway landing approach. Here, the plane crashed on farmland in mountain Kampenhout. All 72 passengers, the crew and a farmer on the ground were killed, including the entire 18- member U.S. team and their 16 relatives. The World Cup in Prague was canceled.
Results
- N = Novices, J = Junior