Jiving to victory

Wounded war veteran J.R. Martinez claimed victory on the 13th season of the hit TV show Dancing With the Stars, winning with a jive and a samba that thrilled audiences.

By (Reuters)

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Published: Thu 24 Nov 2011, 8:39 PM

Last updated: Tue 7 Apr 2015, 7:16 AM

Martinez, dancing with partner Karina Smirnoff, wowed the judges throughout the 10-week competition and overcame an injured ankle in the final weeks of the popular dance contest to claim its coveted mirror ball trophy. His grit and determination proved an inspiration to viewers.

Rob Kardashian, brother of the Kardashian sisters of reality TV fame, was runner-up.

Both finalists performed a final samba to Ricky Martin’s Shake Your Bon Bon, Martinez in an open-neck white shirt set off by sparkling orange suspenders and Kardashian sporting a bright blue shirt enlivened by a bold yellow stripe.

Talk show host and actress Ricki Lake came in third, despite executing a tango to the theme from Psycho that scored a perfect single dance score of 30 from the judges.

Martinez, 28, an All My Children TV actor, Army veteran and motivational speaker, was ebullient upon his victory, thrusting his arm in the air, thanking voters and telling Smirnoff, “You are amazing and I’m so grateful that I was able to be a part of your first mirror ball trophy.”


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