15 Most Famous Russian Figure Skaters of All Time

Russian figure skaters have a reputation for over-the-top training practices, but their results are hard to argue with.

Of all the Olympic sports, Russia is known for dominating one in particular: figure skating. Russian figure skaters are trained to operate like athletic machines before they’re old enough to attend kindergarten.

While their methods are questionable, Russia’s churned out many memorable figure skating champions. Which ones were the most memorable? Here are the most popular to date.

Sergei Ponomarenko

Settnik, Bernd / Wikimedia CC BY-SA 3.0

Date of birth: Oct. 6, 1960

Birthplace: Moscow, Russia

Biggest achievement: Olympic Champion, three-time World Champion

Bottom Line: Sergei Ponomarenko and his skating partner and wife Marina Klimova made waves during the 1980s and ’90s as ice dancers. They won four European titles in a row, and they had one of the longest careers at the time, spanning over a decade. Ponomarenko was one of the oldest skating champions, delaying retirement until he was in his early 30s.

Following retirement, he and Klimova were both inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame, and Ponomarenko remains an ISU technical specialist for Russia. Both of them now coach in San Jose, California, and one of their sons, Anthony Ponomarenko, is now a competitive ice dancer.

Ilia Kulik

AP Photo

Date of birth: May 23, 1977

Birthplace: Moscow, Russia

Biggest achievement: First figure skater to win Olympic gold with a quadruple jump

Bottom Line: Ilia Kulik was 20 when he won a gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. He was only the second man in the sport’s history to win gold on his first try. He started skating at 5 and was initially more on the clumsy side. But his coach noted Kulik’s refusal to give up and encouraged him to continue lessons.

Kulik went on to win two Russian national championships, followed by a stunning Olympic debut with one of the most challenging programs ever successfully skated at that time. It included a quadruple toe loop and eight triples. Later in life, he became a distinguished choreographer, touring with both “Champions on Ice” and “Stars on Ice.”

Adelina Sotnikova

Ted S. Warren / AP Photo

Date of birth: July 1, 1996

Birthplace: Moscow, Russia

Biggest achievement: Four-time Russian National Champion

Bottom Line: Adelina Sotnikova isn’t the most famous Russian figure skater, but she had a loyal fanbase throughout the 2010s. She started skating when she was just 4 at a rink near her home in Moscow. Just eight years later, she won gold at the senior-level Russian Nationals.

She was too young to compete on the Junior Grand Prix circuit that season, but she continued working her way up, eventually winning Olympic gold in 2014. She had a string of lingering injuries, eventually retiring due to chronic pain.

Alexei Yagudin

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Date of birth: March 18, 1980

Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia

Biggest achievement: Only skater to have achieved a Golden Slam

Bottom Line: One of the most memorable Russian figure skaters of all time, Alexei Yagudin is the only skater to have won a Golden Slam – a victory in every major figure skating championship in the same season. This includes the Olympics, World Championships, European Championships, Grand Prix assignments and Grand Prix final. He was primed for success from the start, landing all his double jumps by age 10 and five triples before the age of 12.

He was awarded the Order of Merit by the Russian Federation in 2003 and joined the figure skating Hall of Fame in 2017. Since then, he’s worked as an actor, TV host and sports commentator.

Irina Slutskaya

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Date of birth: Feb. 9, 1979

Birthplace: Moscow, Russia

Biggest achievement: Two-time World Champion

Bottom Line: Irina Slutskaya had a rocky road in figure skating, but her athleticism and innovation set her performances apart from the rest. After initial success in the sport, she hit a plateau in her skating career, failing to qualify for both the European and World championships. Instead of throwing in the towel, she continued training.

It’s a good thing she did because she went on to beat Michelle Kwan at the 2000 Grand Prix Final, plus won a silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. She actually tied for gold, but Sara Hughes of the U.S. took the gold in a tiebreaker free skate.

Slutskaya was known for her power on the ice, making history as the first woman to land a triple-Lutz-triple-loop combination. She was also known for her signature double Biellmann spin, which she made up herself.

Alexandra Trusova

Toru Hanai / AP Photo

Date of birth: June 23, 2004

Birthplace: Ryazan, Russia

Biggest achievement: First female to land two quads in a free skate

Bottom Line: Alexandra Trusova is one of Russia’s favorite figure skaters at the moment. She was the Beijing 2022 Olympic silver medalist, and quads are her claim to fame. She’s the first female to land the quad Lutz, flip and toe loop jumps in competition and was the first to land two, then three quads in a free skate.

She has three Grand Prix Champion titles under her belt, and she’s expected to continue on her quad-packed career path at the next Olympic games.

Alena Kostornaia

Francois Mori / AP Photo

Date of birth: Aug. 24, 2003

Birthplace: Moscow, Russia

Biggest achievement: European Champion, Grand Prix Final champion

Bottom Line: Alena Kostornaia is a six-time Grand Prix medalist and is only the third woman to attempt and land the maximum number of triple jumps allowed in a senior international competition — twice. In 2020, she landed all 12 triples cleanly at the Grand Prix Final. She hasn’t officially retired, but she peaked in the 2019 season with a world standing of No. 7.

She started skating in the first place because her parents wanted an outlet to channel her energy, and her energy hasn’t diminished in the slightest. She rides horses for fun and dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon. She also has several pets, including a rabbit, a cat and a Maltipoo named Audrey.

Anna Shcherbakova

Antonio Calanni / AP Photo

Date of birth: March 28, 2004

Birthplace: Moscow, Russia

Biggest achievement: First woman to land a quad Lutz in competition

Bottom Line: Anna Scherbakova is still young, and she’s one of the most promising Russian figure skaters in competition. She was the second figure skater to perform two quadruple Lutz jumps in one program, following American skater Nathan Chen. She’s also the first to land a quad flip in combination with a triple.

She gets her inspiration from retired Japanese figure skater Mao Asada, and she loves caring for her pets in her limited free time, including a dog named Sandy, a street cat named Mafia and a Maine coon cat named Shiny.

Evgeni Plushenko

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Date of birth: Nov. 3, 1982

Birthplace: Dzhamku, Russia

Biggest achievement: Earned four Olympic medals

Bottom Line: If you haven’t heard the name Plushenko, you’re probably not a figure skating fan. Plushenko was one of the biggest names in figure skating in the early 2000s, dominating the competition between 2003 and 2006. He was trying quads before it was popular, but his artistry was what made him so memorable.

Despite several injuries, including a back injury resulting in surgery, he continued competing all the way up until 2014. He was crowned European champion for the seventh time in 2012 and won a fourth Olympic medal at the Sochi winter games in 2014.

Kamila Valieva

Alexander Zemlianichenko / AP Photo

Date of birth: April 26, 2006

Birthplace: Kazan, Russia

Biggest achievement: First woman to land a quad at the Olympics

Bottom Line: Kamila Valieva is one of five Russian figure skaters coached by Eteri Tutberidze at the same rink. That means she trains alongside Alexandra Trusova and Anna Shcherbakova. She started skating when she was only 3 and trains off the ice in ballet. She’s best known for her artistry, inspired by her love of painting. Many of her programs are inspired by famous works of art.

In 2022, she became the center of an unfortunate doping scandal. She tested positive for a banned heart medication that’s known to help improve cardiovascular endurance. She was denied her gold medal in the 2022 Russian Figure Skating Championships due to the positive drug test and is currently suspended.

Make no mistake, however. She was only 15 at the time of the scandal, and her exclusion from the sport is tragic. The adults, including her coaches and parents, are the ones to blame, not the teenager.

Yulia Lipnitskaya

Vadim Ghirda / AP Photo

Date of birth: June 5, 1998

Birthplace: Yekaterinburg, Russia

Biggest achievement: 2014 European champion

Bottom Line: Ready to be impressed? Yulia Lipnitskaya didn’t fall a single time during the 2011-2012 season. Skating through multiple competitions without a single fall is almost unheard of. The Russian skater adores competition, and her intense training was almost entirely self-motivated.

She even competed with a twisted ankle and ended up winning first in the short program and third in the free skate. She was the youngest woman figure skater to win Olympic gold under modern rules, at only 15 years, 249 days, and she was the youngest gold medalist at the European Championships in the ladies’ singles category. Sadly, she retired in 2017 due to injuries and a battle with an eating disorder.

Alina Zagitova

\ Koji Sasahara / AP Photo

Date of birth: May 18, 2002

Birthplace: Izhevsk, Russia

Biggest achievement: 2018 Olympic Champion, World Champion

Bottom Line: Alina Zagitova was ranked as the best female skater in the world in the 2018-2019 season, with countless titles and medals under her name. She is the only Russian female figure skater to win gold at the Olympics, World Figure Skating Champtionships, European Championships and Grand Prix Final, and she’s the first Muslim athlete to win an Olympic gold, a world title and a Super Slam.

She also broke the world record under the old system once as well as four times under the new system. She got an early start, beginning formal lessons when she was 4 at the rink her father worked at as a hockey coach. She was named female athlete of the year by the Ministry of Sport of Russia in 2018 and was listed as the top athlete in the sports category of Forbes Russia’s Top 30 Under 30 list.

Evgenia Medvedeva

Andy Wong / AP Photo

Date of birth: Nov. 19, 1999

Birthplace: Moscow, Russia

Biggest achievement: Only one of four women to achieve a Grand Slam

Bottom Line: Evgenia Medvedeva is the first ladies’ singles skater to win Senior Worlds the year after winning Junior Worlds. In 2017, she also became the first female skater to win back-to-back world titles since Michelle Kwan did so in 2000 and 2001. And she’s the first skater in all disciplines to complete two Grand Slams in a row.

Not impressed yet? Medvedeva set the world record score 13 times and is the first woman to pass the 80-point short program score, the 160-point free skating score, and both the 230 and 240-point total score. Now, she’s studying at Moscow State University.

Fun fact: Medvedeva has lepidopterophobia, the fear of moths and butterflies. She also has two French bulldogs named Jerry and Tofu.

Sergei Grinkov

David Longstreath / AP Photo

Date of birth: Feb. 4, 1967

Birthplace: Moscow, Russia

Biggest achievement: Two-time Olympic Champion, four-time World Champion in pair skating

Bottom Line: Sergei Grinkov was a Russian pairs skater who hit the ice at the age of 5. He began training at the Children and Youth Sports School in Moscow, but he wasn’t a strong solo skater. His coach opted to give him a shot in pairs skating, and he teamed up with 11-year-old skater Ekaterina Gordeeva when he was 14. They won the Junior World Championship in 1985, followed by a string of gold medals at the European Championships, World Championships and Olympic Games.

Tragically, Grinkov collapsed during practice in Lake Placid, New York, in 1995, dying of a massive heart attack. He was only 28, with a 4-year-old daughter whom he shared with partner and wife Ekaterina Gordeeva.

Ekaterina Gordeeva

Gene Puskar / AP

Date of birth: May 28, 1971

Birthplace: Moscow, Russia

Biggest achievement: Two-time Olympic Champion, four-time World Champion in pair skating

Bottom Line: Sergei Grinkov may not be around anymore, but his partner, Ekaterina Gordeeva, is still going strong. She started skating when she was only 4 and initially had to wear several pairs of socks because the smallest available pair of skates were still too big. When she teamed up with Grinkov, their chemistry was instant. Their coach once tried to get her to team up with a new partner after Grinkov was repeatedly late, but she was adamant that he was the only one for her. Instead of switching partners, they switched coaches.

The pair went on to win almost every competition they entered. Out of 31 competitions, they finished first 24 times and never placed lower than second. After Grinkov passed away, Gordeeva remarried another famous Russian figure skater on this list, Ilia Kulik. She has two daughters, both of whom skate.