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Ekaterina GordeevaThe figure skater is a two-time Olympic champion in pair skating.
Date of Birth: 28.05.1971
Country:  Russia |
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Biography of Ekaterina Gordeeva
Ekaterina Gordeeva is a former Soviet and Russian figure skater, known for her success in pairs skating. She was born on May 28, 1971, in Moscow, Russia. Gordeeva grew up in a privileged family, with her father, Alexander Alekseevich, being a dancer in the Moiseyev Ensemble, and her mother, Elena Lvovna, working for the TASS news agency. She has a younger sister named Maria.
At the age of three, Gordeeva enrolled in the CSKA Sports School for children. It was discovered that her jumps were not strong enough for singles skating, so she was paired with Sergei Grinkov. They were initially coached by Stanislav Leonovich and later by Stanislav Zhuk.
In 1985, Gordeeva and Grinkov became the first pair to successfully perform a quadruple jump with a twist. Under the guidance of their new coach, they won the silver medal at the Soviet and European Championships in January 1986 and then went on to win gold at the World Championships in Geneva on March 19, 1986. Gordeeva became the youngest-ever World Champion at the age of 14.
In January 1987, Gordeeva and Grinkov became the Soviet Champions. However, their result at the European Championships in Sarajevo was annulled due to technical reasons. They regained their form and won their second World Championship in Cincinnati. In November 1987, Gordeeva suffered a head injury during training and the pair had to skip the Soviet Championships. They recovered in time to win the European Championship and became Olympic champions on February 16, 1988.
In 1990, Gordeeva and Grinkov left the amateur sport and joined Tatiana Tarasova's "All Stars" ice theater. They competed successfully in professional world championships from 1991 to 1992. During this time, they got married in 1991 and welcomed their daughter, Daria, in 1992.
In 1993, the International Skating Union and the International Olympic Committee changed the rules and allowed professional skaters to regain their amateur status and participate in the Olympic Games. Taking advantage of these new rules, Gordeeva and Grinkov returned to amateur sports and won the Russian Championship, European Championship, and the Olympic Games in Lillehammer. They then returned to professional skating.
Tragedy struck on November 20, 1995, when Grinkov suffered a massive heart attack during a performance in Lake Placid and passed away at the hospital. Gordeeva returned to the ice in February 1996. In the same year, she released the book "My Sergei," written in memory of Grinkov, with the help of a professional author. A documentary film based on the book was made by CBS and a second book, "Letter to Daria," was published.
In 1998, Gordeeva placed second in the professional world championships. She retired from competitive skating in 2000 but continued to perform in ice shows. She partnered with skaters such as Arthur Dmitriev, Anton Sikharulidze, David Pelletier, and John Zimmerman in various shows. In the 1998-1999 season, she participated in "Stars on Ice" alongside Ilya Kulik, Elena Bechke, and Denis Petrov, and in 1999-2000, she skated with Ilya Kulik.
On April 20, 2002, Gordeeva married Ilya Kulik. They have a daughter named Elizaveta, born on June 15, 2001, in Los Angeles.
