Evgenia Medvedeva facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Evgenia Medvedeva
Evgenia Medvedeva at the ice show Carmen in 2024
Personal information
Native name	Евгения Армановна Медведева
Full name	Evgenia Armanovna Medvedeva
Alternative names	Yevgenia Medvedeva Zhenya (nickname)
Country represented	Russia
Born	(1999-11-19) 19 November 1999 (age 25) Moscow, Russia
Height	1.59 m (5 ft 2+1⁄2 in)
Began skating	2003
Retired	2021

Evgenia Medvedeva (born November 19, 1999) is a retired Russian figure skater. She is known for her amazing skills on the ice. Evgenia won two silver medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang. She was also a two-time world champion in 2016 and 2017.

Evgenia also won the European Championships twice (2016, 2017). She was a two-time champion at the Grand Prix Final. Earlier in her career, she won the World Junior Championships in 2015.

Medvedeva was the first female skater to win the senior World Championships right after winning the Junior World Championships. She also won two senior World titles in a row. She broke world records 13 times before the 2018–19 season. She was the first female skater to score over 80 points in the short program. She also broke the 160-point mark in the free skate.

About Evgenia's Life

Evgenia's mother, Zhanna Medvedeva, was also a figure skater. Her father is Arman Babasyan. Her parents are divorced. Evgenia uses her maternal grandmother's last name, Medvedeva. Her birth name was Babasyan.

In 2017, she started studying at the Russian State University of Physical Education, Sport, Youth and Tourism. Later, in 2021, she became a student at Moscow State University.

Evgenia has a fear of moths and butterflies. Her favorite figure skaters are Evgeni Plushenko and Yuna Kim. Friends call her "Zhenya" or "Janny." She speaks Russian, English, and some Japanese.

In 2018, she moved to Toronto, Canada, to train with a new coach. She returned to Russia in 2020 to train with her old coach, Eteri Tutberidze. She has two French Bulldogs named Jerry and Tofu.

Evgenia's Skating Journey

Starting Young

Evgenia started skating at age three. She had several coaches early on. Around 2007, she joined coach Eteri Tutberidze.

She first competed at the senior national level in 2012. She finished eighth. The next season, she had an injury. She did not qualify for the senior Russian Nationals.

Junior International Debut (2013–2014)

Medvedeva at the 2014 World Junior Championships podium

Evgenia started competing internationally in the 2013–2014 season. She won gold at two Junior Grand Prix events. She then won a bronze medal at the Junior Grand Prix Final in Japan.

At the 2014 World Junior Championships, she won the bronze medal. Russia swept all three medals at this event.

World Junior Champion (2014–2015)

Medvedeva (center) with Serafima Sakhanovich (left) and Wakaba Higuchi (right) at the 2014–15 JGP Final podium

In the 2014 Junior Grand Prix season, Evgenia won two more gold medals. She then won the Junior Grand Prix Final in Spain. She placed first in both parts of the competition.

At the 2015 Russian Championships, she won her first senior national medal, a bronze. She then won gold at the 2015 Russian Junior Championships.

She won gold at the 2015 World Junior Championships. She set a new world record for the junior ladies' short program. She did not fall in any international events that season.

World and European Titles (2015–2016)

Medvedeva became old enough to compete at the senior international level. She won gold at the 2015 Ondrej Nepela Trophy. She also won her first senior Grand Prix event, 2015 Skate America.

Medvedeva at the 2015–16 Grand Prix Final podium

In December, she won the Grand Prix Final. She was one of the youngest champions ever. She also won the 2016 Russian Championships.

In January 2016, she won her first senior European Championships. She placed first in both the short and free programs. Her teammates also won silver and bronze.

Medvedeva (center) with Ashley Wagner (left) and Anna Pogorilaya (right) on the 2016 World Championships podium

In March 2016, Medvedeva won the gold medal at the 2016 World Championships. She set a world record score in the free skate. She became the first female skater to win Junior Worlds and then Senior Worlds back-to-back. She was also the youngest world champion since Tara Lipinski in 1997.

Eight World Records and Second World Title (2016–2017)

Medvedeva continued her winning streak. She won gold at 2016 Skate Canada International and 2016 Trophée de France.

Medvedeva (center) with Satoko Miyahara (left) and Anna Pogorilaya (right) at the 2016–17 Grand Prix Final podium

At the Grand Prix Final, she broke the world record for the ladies' short program score. She won the title again. She also defended her national title at the 2017 Russian Championships.

In January 2017, she won the European Championships again. She broke her own free skate world record. She also set a new world record for the total score.

Medvedeva (centre) with Kaetlyn Osmond (left) and Gabrielle Daleman (right) on the 2017 World Championships podium

In March 2017, she won the World Championships for the second time. She set new world records for the free skate and total score. She was the first female skater to win back-to-back world titles in 16 years.

In April 2017, Medvedeva competed at the World Team Trophy. She set new world records for the short program and free skate. She became the first female skater to score over 80 points in the short program. She also scored over 160 points in the free skate. Her total score was also a new world record.

2018 Winter Olympics and Coach Change (2017–2018)

Medvedeva won gold at the 2017 CS Ondrej Nepela Trophy. She then changed her long program music to Anna Karenina. She got a foot injury before the 2017 Rostelecom Cup. She still won her Grand Prix events in Russia and Japan. However, her injury made her miss the Grand Prix Final and Russian National Championship.

At the 2018 Europeans, she finished second to her teammate Alina Zagitova. She was then chosen for the Russian Olympic team.

Medvedeva (left) with Alina Zagitova (center) and Kaetlyn Osmond (right) at the 2018 Winter Olympics podium

At the 2018 Winter Olympics, she set a new world record in the short program during the team event. Russia won a silver medal in the team competition. In the individual event, she broke another world record in the short program. Her teammate Alina Zagitova then broke it again. Evgenia won the Olympic silver medal.

After the Olympics, Medvedeva announced she was leaving her longtime coach Eteri Tutberidze. She moved to Toronto to train with coach Brian Orser. She said she wanted to work with a coach more like a friend.

Struggles and World Bronze Medal (2018–2019)

Medvedeva at the 2018 Internationaux de France Gala

Medvedeva started her season with a silver medal at the Autumn Classic International. At Skate Canada, she won a bronze medal. She placed fourth at the 2018 Internationaux de France. This was the first time she finished off an international podium.

Medvedeva and Brian Orser at the 2019 Russian Championships

She changed her short program music to Tosca. At the 2019 Russian Championships, she had some mistakes and finished seventh. Later, she won gold at the 2019 Russian Cup Final.

Medvedeva (right) at the 2019 World Championships podium

At the 2019 World Championships, she skated with a thigh injury. She won the bronze medal. She decided not to compete at the World Team Trophy to recover.

2019–2020 Season

Medvedeva at the 2019 CS Autumn Classic International

Medvedeva started the season with a silver medal at the Autumn Classic International. She then won her first international gold medal with coach Brian Orser at the Shanghai Trophy.

At Skate Canada, she finished fifth after some mistakes. At the Rostelecom Cup in Moscow, she won the short program. She won the silver medal with a new personal best total score.

At the 2020 Russian Championships, her skating boot broke. She had to withdraw from the competition.

2020–2021 Season

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Medvedeva could not return to her training base in Canada. She returned to Moscow in June. In September 2020, she announced she would train with her former coaches again. She and Brian Orser parted ways as friends.

She had a chronic back injury and withdrew from several competitions. In November, she got COVID-19 and had severe lung damage. She recovered but could not prepare for the 2021 Russian Championships.

Retirement from Competition (2021–2022)

In June 2021, Medvedeva was not assigned any Grand Prix events. On August 5, she announced she would skip the upcoming season. On December 1, 2021, Evgenia announced she was ending her competitive skating career. This was due to her chronic back injury.

Skating Style

Medvedeva performing a Lutz at the 2018 Winter Olympics

Evgenia often performs her jumps with one arm over her head. This is called the "Tano" variation. She also uses the "Rippon" variation, with both arms over her head. She is known for her difficult jump combinations. She often ends her programs with a special spiral move.

Endorsements and Recognition

Medvedeva has been featured on the covers of magazines like Russian Tatler and Elle Girl Russia. In 2017, she was named one of the 50 Most Marketable Athletes by SportsPro. Business Insider also listed her among the world's 50 most dominant athletes. Forbes included her in their '30 under 30 Europe' list.

She is sponsored by John Wilson (blade maker), Edea (boot maker), and Nike. She has also been a brand ambassador for Pantene and Nestle. She appeared in a TV ad for a Japanese game.

Awards and Achievements

Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, awarding Medvedeva the Order of Friendship in 2018

• She was the first female skater to win the senior World Championships the year after winning the Junior World Championships.
• She was awarded the title “Honored Master of Sports of Russia” in 2016.
• She received the Order of Friendship from Vladimir Putin.
• She was awarded "the Silver DOE" of Russia.

Competitive Highlights

GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix.

Medvedeva at the 2018 Winter Olympics

Medevdeva at the 2017 NHK Trophy

Programs

Medvedeva at the exhibition gala of the 2018 Winter Olympics

Medvedeva at the 2018 Winter Olympics

Evgenia Medvedeva performed many different programs throughout her career. Some of her well-known programs include:

• Masquerade
• Memoirs of a Geisha
• Libertango
• Anna Karenina
• River Flows in You
• Sailor Moon (exhibition)

Images for kids

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  Evgenia Medvedeva at the Junior World Championships

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  Medvedeva at the 2018 European Championships

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  Medvedeva at the 2015–16 Grand Prix Final

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  Medvedeva at the 2019 Russian Championships

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  Medvedeva at the 2018 CS Autumn Classic

Television

She appeared in the eighth and ninth season of the ice show contest Ice Age.

Awards

See also

In Spanish: Yevguéniya Medvédeva para niños