Adam Rippon‘s dream year now includes a “Dancing with the Stars” title.
Rippon topped fellow Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding and Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman to win an all-athletes season of the series.
“This has been such an incredible experience, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone,” Rippon said on “Entertainment Tonight,” holding a Mirrorball Trophy with partner Jenna Johnson. “More than that, getting to meet somebody who I’m going to be friends with for the rest of my life.”
Olympian winners in the previous 25 seasons were all gold medalists: Apolo Ohno, Kristi Yamaguchi, Shawn Johnson, Meryl Davis and Laurie Hernandez.
Rippon, 28, took team bronze at his first and last Games in PyeongChang in February, making the Olympics in his third and final try in January as the oldest U.S. Olympic rookie singles skater in 82 years.
The outspoken, charismatic Rippon became one of the biggest mainstream stars of the winter sports season after nearly missing the Olympic team in finishing fourth at nationals in January. He was then 10th at the Olympics.
In March, Rippon attended the Oscars and met Reese Witherspoon. In April, he was named to the Time 100 and in People Magazine’s Beautiful issue.
Rippon successfully managed a hectic travel schedule the last month, dotting the country for Stars on Ice shows while squeezing in rehearsals and live “Dancing” episodes in Los Angeles the last four Mondays.
On the finale, Rippon recorded the first perfect score for the abbreviated season — 10s from all three judges on the first of two dances. Harding and Norman later scored straight 10s on their second dances.
Rippon scored 28 out of 30 on his last dance, wearing a bowl-cut wig, and had the highest combined total of judges scores on the night. The winner was determined by a combination of viewer voting and judges scores.
“They brought it home every week,” Harding said of Rippon and Johnson on “Entertainment Tonight.” “Adam is wonderful, and his partner. They deserved it.”
Harding finished higher than Olympic rival Nancy Kerrigan did on the show last year.
“Last night felt like it was the first time I landed the triple axel,” was posted on Harding’s Instagram.
Olympians/Paralympians on Dancing with the Stars
Season 1 — Evander Holyfield (1984, boxing)
Season 4 — Apolo Ohno (2002-2010, short track speed skating) — WINNER, Clyde Drexler (1992, basketball)
Season 5 — Floyd Mayweather Jr. (1996, boxing)
Season 6 — Kristi Yamaguchi (1992, figure skating) — WINNER, Monica Seles (1996-2000, tennis)
Season 7 — Maurice Greene (2000-2004, track and field), Misty May-Treanor (2000-2012, volleyball)
Season 8 — Shawn Johnson (2008, gymnastics) — WINNER
Season 9 — Louie Vito (2010, snowboarding), Natalie Coughlin (2004-2012, swimming)
Season 10 — Evan Lysacek (2006-2010, figure skating)
Season 12 — Sugar Ray Leonard (1976, boxing)
Season 13 — Hope Solo (2004-2016, soccer)
Season 14 — Martina Navratilova (2004, tennis)
Season 15 — Shawn Johnson, Apolo Ohno
Season 16 — Dorothy Hamill (1976, figure skating), Aly Raisman (2012-2016, gymnastics)
Season 18 — Meryl Davis (2010-2014, figure skating) — WINNER, Charlie White (2010-2014, figure skating), Amy Purdy (2014, snowboarding)
Season 19 — Lolo Jones (2008, 2012, 2014, track and field/bobsled)
Season 20 — Nastia Liukin (2008, gymnastics)
Season 23 — Laurie Hernandez (2016, gymnastics) — WINNER, Ryan Lochte (2004-2016, swimming)
Season 24 — Simone Biles (2016, gymnastics), Nancy Kerrigan (1992-94, figure skating)
Season 25 — Victoria Arlen (2012, swimming)
Season 26 — Adam Rippon (2018, figure skating) — WINNER, Jamie Anderson (2014-18, snowboarding), Chris Mazdzer (2010-18, luge), Jennie Finch (2004-08, softball), Mirai Nagasu (2010, 2018, figure skating), Tonya Harding (1992-94, figure skating)
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