Tonya Harding To Wed

PORTLAND - Figure skater Tonya Harding plans to marry a Portland machinist in December, a newspaper reported yesterday.

Harding announced the engagement to Michael Smith in an interview to be broadcast tomorrow on the "Inside Edition" television program.

Harding, 25, said she met her 29-year-old boyfriend through mutual friends and they plan to wed on Dec. 23. She said they share an interest in horses.

It would be the second marriage for the former Olympic skater, who was kicked out of the U.S. Figure Skating Association in 1994 for her role in an attack on rival skater Nancy Kerrigan two years ago.

Harding was previously married to Jeff Gillooly, who with three other men served prison sentences for carrying out the attack on Kerrigan as she was preparing for the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Detroit.

Harding pleaded guilty to conspiracy to hinder prosecution in the case, paid a $150,000 fine and was sentenced to 500 hours of community service.