Kathryn "Katy" Keeley (born c. 1966) is an American former pair skater. With her skating partner, Joseph Mero, she won silver at the 1984 St. Ivel International, gold at the 1986 Skate America, bronze at the 1987 Skate Canada International, bronze at the 1987 NHK Trophy, and bronze at the 1988 Grand Prix International de Paris. They are four-time U.S. national medalists, having won bronze in 1987 and 1989, and pewter in 1986 and 1988.

Personal life

The daughter of a naval officer, Keeley was born c. 1966 and was raised with two brothers.^[2] During her skating career, she resided in Costa Mesa, California and worked as a foodserver in Newport Beach.^[1]

Her son, Ryan, was born around 2004 and her daughter, Megan, two years later.^[2] As of August 2014, she was working as a surgical nurse at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, California.^[2]

Skating career

Early career

Keeley switched from singles to pairs in 1983, when John Baldwin Sr. asked her to skate with Gary Kemp.^[2] The pair won silver medals at two international events in the same year — Nebelhorn Trophy and Grand Prix International St. Gervais. They placed 6th at the 1983 Prague Skate and 7th at the 1984 U.S. Championships. At the end of the season, Kemp left amateur skating for a professional career while Keeley chose to remain an amateur.^[2]

Partnership with Mero

Keeley teamed up with Joseph Mero in 1984. John Nicks served as their coach throughout their career as a pair.^[2][1]

Keeley/Mero's first international medal, a silver, came at the 1984 St. Ivel International in England. They stepped onto a national podium for the first time at the 1986 U.S. Championships, taking the pewter medal for fourth place. The following season, they won gold at the 1986 Skate America and bronze at the 1987 U.S. Championships.

In the 1987–1988 Olympic season, Keeley/Mero won bronze at the 1987 Skate Canada International and 1987 NHK Trophy before placing fourth at the 1988 U.S. Championships. In 1988, Keeley sustained a concussion at an ice show in London.^[1]

1988–1989 was Keeley/Mero's fifth season together. Granted free ice time at the Ice Capades Chalet in Costa Mesa, California, the pair was training on-ice daily from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.^[1] They won the bronze medal at the 1988 Grand Prix International de Paris and then received bronze at the 1989 U.S. Championships.^[3] After nationals, they decided to retire from competition.^[2]

Competitive highlights

With Mero

With Kemp