Armstrong, "Debbie" (Deborah)

Skiing

b. Dec. 6, 1963, Salem, OR

The bouncy, effervescent Armstrong was a surprise winner in the women's giant slalom at the 1984 Winter Olympics. A fine athlete, she began skiing at the age of three and starred in basketball and soccer in high school. After graduating in 1980, she concentrated on ski racing.

She was named to the U. S. downhill team to take part in international competition, but a broken leg in training ended her season. Armstrong was relatively little known going into the Olympics, although she finished second in the U. S. national combined in 1983. Her best World Cup finish was a third place in a supergiant slalom early in 1984.

At the Olympics, Armstrong had the second fastest time in the first run, .1 second behind teammate Christin Cooper. As the second and final run approached, Cooper recalled, Armstrong "was so hyped up, it was really funny. She kept coming up to me and bouncing all over and telling me to have a good time. She would say, 'I'm just going to have fun out there, just have fun, have fun!'"

Armstrong had only the fourth best time in the second run, but Cooper's run was fifth best, allowing Armstrong to win the gold. Asked by a sportswriter what she'd had to sacrifice to become a champion, she replied, "Nothing. Skiing is my life. That's what I love to do. It's fun."

The national giant slalom champion in 1987, Armstrong was also a member of the 1988 Olympic ski team.