Irina Slutskaya
Irina Slutskaya | |
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![]() Irina Slutskaya in 2006 | |
Born | Moscow, Soviet Union | 9 February 1979
Height | 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in) |
Figure skating career | |
Country | Russia |
Coach | Zhanna Gromova |
Skating club | Sport Club Moskvitch |
Began skating | 1984 |
Retired | 2006 |
Medal record |
Irina Eduardovna Slutskaya (Russian: Ири́на Эдуа́рдовна Слу́цкая Irina Eduardovna Slutskaya ; born 9 February 1979) is a Russian figure skater. She is a two-time World champion (2002, 2005), two-time Olympic medalist (silver in 2002, bronze in 2006), seven-time European Champion (1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006), a four-time Grand Prix Final Champion (2000–2002, 2005) and a four-time Russian National Champion (2000–2002, 2005). Slutskaya, known for her athletic ability, was the first female skater to land a triple lutz-triple loop combination.[1] She is also known for her trademark double Biellmann spin with a foot change, which she also invented. She is generally considered to be the most successful ladies' singles skater in Russian history.
Career
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Rus-nat-Slutskaya2.jpg/220px-Rus-nat-Slutskaya2.jpg)
Slutskaya started skating at the age of four, encouraged by her mother.[2] Coached by Zhanna Gromova from the age of six,[2] Slutskaya won a total of 40 gold medals, 21 silver medals, and 18 bronze medals.
In 1996, Slutskaya became the first Russian woman to win the European title. She repeated as European champion in 1997. She won bronze at the 1996 World Championships and finished fourth in 1997.
At the 1998 Winter Olympics, she finished fifth behind Chen Lu and Maria Butyrskaya. Lu Chen edged Butyrskaya 5–4 for the bronze and Slutskaya 6–3. The next month, Slutskaya won silver at the 1998 World Championships. She did not win any competitions in the 1998–99 season and missed both the European and the World Championships. She considered leaving competition but decided to continue.[3]
Slutskaya made a successful comeback at the 2000 Grand Prix Final. She landed seven clean triples, including two triple-triple combinations and became the first woman to do a triple lutz-triple loop combination. She later won her third European title and won a silver medal at the 2000 World Championships with Michelle Kwan winning the gold.
At the 2001 World Championships, Slutskaya became the first woman to land a triple salchow-triple loop-double toe loop combination and won the silver medal. She lost in a 7–2 decision to Michelle Kwan. Kwan had no visible mistakes while Slutskaya two-footed her triple lutz-triple loop-double toe loop combination and had problems on two other landings.
Slutskaya won silver at the 2002 Winter Olympics and became the second Russian ever to win a medal in the women's event. The competition had been billed in advance as a head-to-head battle between Slutskaya and American Michelle Kwan. After the short program, as expected, Kwan and Slutskaya placed first and second with Sasha Cohen and Sarah Hughes of the U.S. placing third and fourth, respectively. Kwan finished behind fellow American Sarah Hughes in the overall standings. Slutskaya had to win the free skate in order to win gold but Hughes won the free skate in a 5–4 decision. Russia, still somewhat aggrieved about the outcome of an earlier dispute over the pairs competition, filed a complaint against the result but it was rejected shortly.
The next month, Slutskaya won the 2002 World title in Nagano. Slutskaya finished first in both the qualifying round and the short program, followed by Fumie Suguri and Michelle Kwan. Although Slutskaya could place second to Kwan in the free skate and still win, she won a majority of the judges' votes in the segment. It was her first World title.
Illness and comeback
Slutskaya chose not to compete at the 2003 World Championships after receiving news that her mother had fallen seriously ill, requiring a kidney transplant. The initial transplant was rejected and another one had to be performed.[4] However, soon after her mother's condition began improving, Slutskaya's own health sharply deteriorated, including fatigue and swelling in the legs.[4] She went to several hospitals which struggled to correctly diagnose her condition.[4] Doctors told her that she should stay away from the cold, but she refused and finished 9th at the 2004 World Championships.
She was diagnosed with vasculitis.[1][5] In 2005, Slutskaya made a comeback after a long stay at a hospital. She won the 2005 European Championships, matching the record for the most European titles in ladies' singles. At the 2005 World Championships, Slutskaya was first after the short program and skated last in the free skate, winning the title. In an interview, she said:
This is the question they ask: how could you get up after your fall last year? That's not right at all. You can't talk that way. When a person is ill, it's not a fall, it's a misfortune. And no one, unfortunately, is safe from that. I only want to say to those who don't believe in their [own capacity for] recovery: believe, fight...I got up — you can too.
She said the 2005 World Championships free skate was "the skate of her life" because "she was in front of her friends and family, and she was skating at home".[citation needed] On January 19, 2006, Slutskaya won the European Championships for the seventh time, becoming the most successful ladies' skater at the European Championships.
At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, Slutskaya was one of the heavy favorites to win the gold medal. She was in second place after the short program, behind Sasha Cohen of the United States. In the long program, Slutskaya doubled a triple flip and then fell on a triple loop jump. She won the bronze medal, behind gold medalist Shizuka Arakawa of Japan and silver medalist Cohen. Slutskaya did not compete in the 2006 Worlds the following month. In November 2006, she denied reports that claimed she was retiring from competitive figure skating, saying the reports were completely false.[6]
Post-competitive career
On April 10, 2007 Slutskaya announced she was returning to Russia from the United States and would not participate on the 2007 Champions on Ice tour since she and her husband, Sergei, were expecting a child.[7] Slutskaya stated that she enjoyed motherhood and had no plans to return to skating competitively. "I don’t see the target," she said. "I don’t know why I have to go there. I have almost all the titles."[8]
She began a career in showbusiness. She presented figure skating reality shows on Russia Channel 1 "Stars on Ice" with co-host Yevgeni Plushenko and "Ice Age" with actor Marat Basharov.[9] She has released CD, too.[10] In 2008, she took part in a Russian TV soap opera about figure skating "Hot Ice".[11] She also toured as the lead skater in the Russian version of the show "Winx on Ice".[12][dead link]
In November 2008, Slutskaya performed in the "Skate from the Heart" show.[13][dead link] In 2009, she was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.[14]
In 2011, Slutskaya also participated in 2010 Winter Olympic champion Kim Yu-Na ice show All That Skate Summer. In October 2012, Slutskaya competed in the first Medal Winner's Open, an event for Olympic and World medalists. She placed third in the ladies' field.[15][16] She is an ambassador for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.[17]
Personal life
Slutskaya was born in 1979 in Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union, the only child of a Russian mother and Jewish father. Her mother was a former cross-country skier for the Soviet Union.[18]
Slutskaya married her boyfriend, Sergei Mikheev, in August 1999.[19] They met each other three years earlier at a summer camp near Moscow, where Mikheev was a physical education instructor. She gave birth to a son, Artem, in November 2007 in Moscow.[20] An only child who longed for siblings, she said she would like another baby.[20] In October 2010, she gave birth to their second child, a daughter named Varvara.[21][22]
Records and achievements
- Invented the double Biellmann spin with foot change
- First Russian woman to win European title (1996)
- First woman to land triple lutz, triple loop combination in competition (2000 Grand Prix Final)
- First woman to land a triple salchow, triple loop, double toe-loop combination (2001 World Championships)
- First Russian woman skater to win a silver medal at the Olympics (2002 Salt Lake City)
- Four-time Russian Nationals champion
- Four-time Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final Champion
- Two-time World Champion (2002, 2005)
- First (and only) woman ever to win seven European titles (2006)
Results
Results[23] | ||||||||||||||
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International | ||||||||||||||
Event | 1992–93 | 1993–94 | 1994–95 | 1995–96 | 1996–97 | 1997–98 | 1998–99 | 1999–00 | 2000–01 | 2001–02 | 2002–03 | 2003–04 | 2004–05 | 2005–06 |
Olympics | 5th | 2nd | 3rd | |||||||||||
Worlds | 7th | 3rd | 4th | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | WD | 9th | 1st | ||||
Europeans | 5th | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | WD | 1st | 1st | |||
GP (CS) Final | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | ||||
GP Cup of China | 1st | 1st | ||||||||||||
GP Cup of Russia | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 1st | |||||
GP Lalique | 4th | |||||||||||||
GP Nations/Spark. | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | |||||||||||
GP NHK Trophy | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | |||||||||||
GP Skate America | 3rd | 3rd | ||||||||||||
GP Skate Canada | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | ||||||||||
Goodwill Games | 6th | 5th | 1st | |||||||||||
Finlandia | 1st | |||||||||||||
Nebelhorn | 1st | 1st | ||||||||||||
Universiade | 2nd | |||||||||||||
International: Junior | ||||||||||||||
Junior Worlds | 8th | 3rd | 1st | |||||||||||
National | ||||||||||||||
Russian Champ. | 3rd | 3rd | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 4th | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | WD | 1st | ||
Russian Jr. Champ. | 1st | |||||||||||||
GP = Grand Prix (Champions Series 1995–1997); WD = Withdrew |
Programs
Season | Short program | Free skating | Exhibition |
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2005–2006 [1] |
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2004–2005 [24] |
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2003–2004 [25] |
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2002–2003 [19] |
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2001–2002 [26] |
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2000–2001 [27] |
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1999-2000 |
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1998–1999 |
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1997–1998 |
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1996–1997 |
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1995–1996 |
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1994–1995 |
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1993–1994 |
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Irina SLUTSKAYA: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2 July 2006.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ a b Mittan, J. Barry (1997). "Irina Slutskaya". Archived from the original on 12 May 2012.
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suggested) (help) - ^ Rymer, Thomas (26 November 1999). "Russians get near sweep of women's and pairs". Associated Press. CBS Sportsline.
- ^ a b c Lisitsyn, Lina (2 March 2009). "Ирина Слуцкая: «Семья всегда была дороже титулов»" (in Russian). yagazeta.com. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|trans_title=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Ирина Слуцкая, недавно излечившаяся от серьезной болезни, может снова попасть в больницу" (in Russian). izvestia.ru. 15 January 2004. Archived from the original on 7 April 2008.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Irina Slutskaya Dismisses Retirement Report". Archived from the original on 7 September 2008. Retrieved 8 February 2007.
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Slutskaya returning to Russia because of pregnancy". Associated Press. International Herald Tribune. 10 April 2007. Archived from the original on 28 February 2009.
{{cite news}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Slutskaya Is Savoring New Phase of Her Life". Associated Press. The New York Times. 22 November 2008.
- ^ "Slutskaya's profile – Ice Symphony Russia" (in Template:Ja icon). Translate.google.com. Retrieved January 4, 2011.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ "Irina Slutskaya stormed musical Olympus" (in Template:Ja icon). Translate.google.com. Retrieved January 4, 2011.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ "Hot Ice" (in Template:Ja icon). Translate.google.com. Retrieved January 4, 2011.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ "Winx on Ice Russia" (in Template:Ja icon). Translate.google.com. Retrieved January 4, 2011.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)[dead link] - ^ "Amway Global Skate from the Heart 2008"[dead link]
- ^ "Jewish Sports Hall of Fame: Elected members Irina Slutskaya". Jewishsports.net. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
- ^ Japan hosts three star-studded events this week
- ^ Japan Open 2012 and Open Medal Winner, stars in world race (in Italian)
- ^ Castellaro, Barbara (26 October 2012). "Irina Slutskaya "I ricordi mi hanno portata da Nagano a Sochi"". ArtOnIce.it (in Italian).
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|trans_title=
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suggested) (help) - ^ Gschwind, Lee Ann. "Slutskaya: 'I skate because I can'". NBC Olympic Research. Archived from the original on 17 January 2006.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Irina SLUTSKAYA: 2002/2003". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 9 October 2003.
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: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Ирина СЛУЦКАЯ, cемикратная чемпионка Европы по фигурному катанию: Недоброжелатели предрекали мне бездетный брак" (in Russian). Komsomolskaya Pravda. 22 November 2007. Retrieved 22 November 2010.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|trans_title=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Ирина Слуцкая во второй раз стала мамой" (in Russian). lifenews.ru. 22 November 2010. Retrieved 22 November 2010.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|trans_title=
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suggested) (help) - ^ Paderina, Ksenia (26 November 2010). "Ирина Слуцкая: "Я попросила хирурга развернуть монитор и увидела, как рождается мой ребенок"". Теленеделя (Москва) (in Russian). Retrieved 1 December 2010.
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(help) - ^ "Competition Results: Irina SLUTSKAYA". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Irina SLUTSKAYA: 2004/2005". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 April 2005.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Irina SLUTSKAYA: 2003/2004". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 June 2004.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Irina SLUTSKAYA: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 17 June 2002.
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: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Irina SLUTSKAYA: 2000/2001". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 17 June 2001.
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External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- 1979 births
- Living people
- Russian female single skaters
- Olympic figure skaters of Russia
- Figure skaters at the 1998 Winter Olympics
- Figure skaters at the 2002 Winter Olympics
- Figure skaters at the 2006 Winter Olympics
- Olympic silver medalists for Russia
- Olympic bronze medalists for Russia
- Russian people of Jewish descent
- Sportspeople from Moscow
- Olympic medalists in figure skating
- World Figure Skating Championships medalists
- European Figure Skating Championships medalists
- World Junior Figure Skating Championships medalists
- Medalists at the 2006 Winter Olympics
- Medalists at the 2002 Winter Olympics