Immigrant of the Day: Rena Inoue (Japan)

Rena Inoue (born October 17, 1976 in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo, Japan) is a figure skater. With partner John Baldwin, she is the 2004 and 2006 U.S. National Champion.  Inoue previously competed for Japan as both a single skater and pair skater.

Inoue originally competed as a single and pair skater for Japan. She competed for Japan as a pair skater with Tomoaki Koyama at the 1992 Olympics and as a single skater at the 1994 Olympics. Inoue was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1998. However, it was detected early, and after six months of chemotherapy, she was cancer-free.

In 2000, Inoue teamed up with John Baldwin. She became a U.S. citizen in 2005.

At the 2006 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Inoue and Baldwin became the first pair to successfully perform a throw triple Axel in competition, and then made Olympic history by landing it again at the 2006 Winter Games.

Taking their bows after their Free Skate at the 2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Baldwin proposed marriage to Rena on the ice and she accepted.

KJ