Karina Manta (born March 20, 1996) is an American former competitive ice dancer.

Karina Manta
Manta and Joseph Johnson in 2018
Born (1996-03-20) March 20, 1996 (age 28)
Olympia, Washington
HometownColorado Springs, Colorado
Height1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Figure skating career
Country United States
DisciplineIce dance
Began skating2002
RetiredApril 18, 2019

Early life edit

Manta was born on March 20, 1996, in Olympia, Washington.[1] She began figure skating in 2002.[1]

Career edit

Manta previously competed in ice dance with Jonathan Thompson.[1] Manta has partnered with ice dancer Joseph Johnson since 2013.[1][2] The team is coached by Patti Gottwein in Colorado Springs.[1] Manta and Johnson received their first Grand Prix assignment in 2018, competing at Skate America.[3][4] They finished in 10th place with a total score of 139.33.[2][5]

On April 18, 2019, Manta announced that she was stepping away from competitive figure skating. She and Johnson plan to move to Montreal in June and join Cirque du Soleil.[6][7]

In 2020, it was announced that Manta would join the cast of ITV's Dancing On Ice. During the thirteenth series, she was a replacement partner for Graham Bell, whose original partner, fellow newcomer Yebin Mok, was injured during training. Bell and Manta were voted off during Week 3. Manta won the fourteenth series with Regan Gascoigne.

Personal life edit

As of 2018, Manta is a college student.[1] In 2018, she came out as bisexual in a video accompanied by her girlfriend. This made her the first female figure skater competing on behalf of Team USA to come out.[3]

Programs edit

Season Short program Free skating
2018–2019

[1]

2017–2018
2016–2017
2015–2016

Competitive Highlights edit

GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series

(with Joe Johnson)

International[2]
Event 14–15 15–16 16–17 17–18 18–19
GP Skate America 10th
CS Autumn Classic 3rd
CS Nebelhorn 14th
CS US Classic 5th 5th
Lake Placid IDI 6th 5th
National
U.S. Champ. 10th J 7th 8th 9th 7th
TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Biography". www.isuresults.com. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Profile – Karina Manta & Joseph Johnson | ice-dance.com". www.ice-dance.com. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Karina Manta is Team USA's First Out Female Figure Skater". November 9, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  4. ^ "Welcome to U.S. Figure Skating". www.usfsa.org. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  5. ^ "Entry/Resultlist". www.isuresults.com. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  6. ^ Johnson, Joe (April 18, 2019). "A retirement tweet pic.twitter.com/RDghJ2ooFQ". @JoeJohnsonIce (in French). Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  7. ^ circusrunaway (April 19, 2019). "Saying Goodbye". Circus Runaway. Retrieved April 19, 2019.