Alena Vrzáňová facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alena Vrzáňová
Vrzáňová in 2009
Personal information
Full name	Alena Vrzáňová
Alternative names	Ája Zanová
Country represented	Czechoslovakia
Born	(1931-05-16)16 May 1931 Prague, Czechoslovakia
Died	30 July 2015(2015-07-30) (aged 84) New York City, US
Former coach	Arnold Gerschwiler
Skating club	VŠ Praha
Retired	1950
Medal record Figure skating: Ladies' singles Representing  Czechoslovakia World Championships Gold 1950 London Ladies' singles Gold 1949 Paris Ladies' singles European Championships Gold 1950 Oslo Ladies' singles Silver 1949 Milan Ladies' singles Bronze 1948 Prague Ladies' singles

Alena "Ája" Vrzáňová (born May 16, 1931 – died July 30, 2015) was a famous figure skater from Czechoslovakia. She was also known as Ája Zanová. Alena was a two-time World champion in 1949 and 1950. She also won the European championship in 1950.

Early Life and Training

Alena Vrzáňová was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, in 1931. Besides skating, she also played the piano and went to ballet school.

Alena started sports very young, at age three. Her parents bought her skis, and they spent every winter in the Krkonoše mountains. When World War II made this tradition stop, Alena started figure skating.

Training was hard back then. She had to skate early in the morning. It was often dark because of rules that limited lights. She practiced at an open stadium or on tennis courts that were frozen over.

Skating Career Highlights

In 1946, Alena became the junior national champion in Czechoslovakia. The next year, she moved to London to train with coach Arnold Gerschwiler. In 1947, she won the Czechoslovak national championships. She also placed 7th at the World Championships.

Alena represented Czechoslovakia at the 1948 Winter Olympics. She finished fifth in the competition.

In 1949, Alena won a silver medal at the European Championships. She then won her first World title in Paris. She got this chance when another top skater had to drop out. At this event, Alena was the first woman to successfully land a double Lutz jump. This was a very difficult trick!

After winning the European Championships in 1950, she won her second World title. Instead of going home, she went on a skating tour in Europe. Later, she moved to the United States.

In the US, she performed in a famous traveling show called Ice Follies for three years. She used the name "Aja Zanova." After that, she joined another big show called Ice Capades. She also appeared in TV ads and other shows. Later in her life, she managed a large public ice rink in New York City called the Wollman Rink.

Personal Journey

In February 1948, a big change happened in her home country, Czechoslovakia. After spending the winter of 1949 at home, her father told her not to come back from the upcoming World Championships. She agreed and decided to stay abroad after the 1950 World Championships in London. She was offered a safe place to live.

Her mother joined her later, after a very difficult journey. Her father, who was a professional cello player, visited them sometimes. However, he decided not to leave his country for good. He faced many challenges and was not able to leave his country for a long time. Alena did not return to Prague until 1990, after a peaceful change in her country.

In 1969, Alena married Pavel Steindler. They adopted two children. They ran a restaurant in New York City. Alena Vrzáňová passed away on July 30, 2015, in New York City, at the age of 84.

Awards and Recognition

Alena Vrzáňová was honored for her amazing career. In 2009, she was added to the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame. This is a very special award for top skaters.

Also in 2009, she received the title of the Sports Legend of the Czech Republic. In 2012, she received the Gratias Agit Award. This award is given to people who help promote the good name of the Czech Republic around the world.

See also

In Spanish: Alena Vrzáňová para niños