Evgenia Medvedeva facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Evgenia Medvedeva |
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Evgenia Medvedeva at the ice show Carmen in 2024
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| Personal information | |
| Native name | Евгения Армановна Медведева |
| Full name | Evgenia Armanovna Medvedeva |
| Alternative names | Yevgenia Medvedeva Zhenya (nickname) |
| Country represented |  Russia |
| Born | 19 November 1999 Moscow, Russia |
| Height | 1.59 m (5 ft 2+1⁄2 in) |
| Began skating | 2003 |
| Retired | 2021 |
Evgenia Armanovna Medvedeva (born November 19, 1999) is a famous retired Russian figure skater. She is known for her amazing performances and for breaking many world records.
Medvedeva has won many important medals. She is a two-time Olympic silver medalist from the 2018 PyeongChang games. She also won the World Championships twice in a row (2016 and 2017) and the European Championships twice (2016 and 2017).
She was the first female skater to win the senior World Championships right after winning the Junior World Championships. She is also the only Russian woman to win back-to-back world titles. During her career, she set 13 world record scores. She was the first woman to score higher than 80 points in the short program, 160 points in the free skate, and over 230 and 240 points in total.
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Personal Life
Evgenia was born in Moscow, Russia. Her mother, Zhanna Medvedeva, was also a figure skater. Her parents are divorced. Evgenia uses her mother's family name, Medvedeva, for competitions. Her friends often call her "Zhenya."
Her skating heroes are Evgeni Plushenko and Yuna Kim. Besides Russian, she also speaks English and some Japanese. She is a fan of the FC Dynamo Moscow soccer club.
In 2018, she moved to Toronto, Canada, to train with a new coach, Brian Orser. She returned to Russia in 2020 to work with her old coach, Eteri Tutberidze. She has two French Bulldogs named Jerry and Tofu.
Skating Career
Early Years on the Ice
Medvedeva started skating when she was only three years old. Her mother wanted her to try the sport. Around 2007, she began training with coach Eteri Tutberidze, who helped her become a champion.
She first competed in the senior Russian Championships in 2012, where she finished eighth. The next year, she had an injury but still competed at the junior level.
2013–2014 Season: Junior Competitions
Medvedeva started competing internationally in the 2013–2014 season. She won gold medals at Junior Grand Prix events in Latvia and Poland. This earned her a spot at the Junior Grand Prix Final, where she won a bronze medal.
She was later chosen to compete at the 2014 World Junior Championships. She won the bronze medal, standing on the podium with two other Russian skaters.
2014–2015 Season: Becoming a World Junior Champion
In her next season, Medvedeva won gold at two more Junior Grand Prix events. She then won the gold medal at the Junior Grand Prix Final in Barcelona, Spain.
At the 2015 World Junior Championships, she skated beautifully. She placed first in the short program, setting a new junior world record. She also won the free skate, earning the gold medal. Amazingly, she didn't fall once in any of her international competitions that season.
2015–2016 Season: Winning Major Senior Titles
Now old enough for senior competitions, Medvedeva started her season by winning gold at the 2015 Skate America. She then won silver at the 2015 Rostelecom Cup. These results qualified her for the Grand Prix Final in Barcelona. She won gold, becoming one of the youngest champions ever at age 16.
In 2016, she won the European Championships and the Russian Championships. Her biggest win came at the 2016 World Championships in Boston. After placing third in the short program, she skated a record-breaking free skate to win the gold medal. She became the first skater to win the Junior and senior World titles in back-to-back years.
2016–2017 Season: A Record-Breaking Year
Medvedeva continued to dominate the sport. She won gold at 2016 Skate Canada International and 2016 Trophée de France. At the Grand Prix Final, she set a new world record in the short program and won her second Grand Prix Final title.
In 2017, she defended her titles at the Russian and European Championships. At the World Championships in Helsinki, she broke world records for the free skate and total score. She became the first woman in 16 years to win back-to-back world titles. Later that year, at the World Team Trophy, she broke her own records again, becoming the first woman to score over 80 points in the short program and 160 in the free skate.
2017–2018 Season: The Winter Olympics
Medvedeva started the season strong but was diagnosed with a crack in a bone in her foot. The injury forced her to miss some competitions. She returned for the 2018 European Championships, where she won the silver medal behind her teammate Alina Zagitova.
At the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, Medvedeva helped Russia win a silver medal in the team event. In the individual women's event, she skated two incredible programs. She finished with a silver medal, just behind Zagitova.
After the Olympics, Medvedeva announced she would move to Canada to train with coach Brian Orser. She said she wanted a new kind of partnership with her coach.
2018–2021: New Challenges and Retirement
The next few seasons were challenging for Medvedeva. She struggled with new programs and injuries. Despite the difficulties, she showed great determination. At the 2019 World Championships, she skated through a thigh injury to win the bronze medal.
In 2020, she returned to Moscow to train with her former coach, Eteri Tutberidze. However, a chronic back injury and the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult for her to compete.
On December 1, 2021, Medvedeva announced her retirement from competitive skating because of her back injury.
Skating Style
Medvedeva was known for her unique jumping technique. She often performed jumps with one or both arms raised over her head. This is called the "Tano" or "Rippon" variation, which makes the jumps more difficult and earns more points.
She was also famous for her artistry and expressive performances. She could tell a story on the ice, connecting with the music and the audience.
Records and Achievements
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Medvedeva set many records during her career. Before the scoring system changed in 2018, she had set 13 world records.
- First skater to win the senior World Championship the year after winning the Junior World Championship.
- First woman to score over 230 and 240 points in total.
- First woman to score over 80 points in the short program.
- First woman to score over 160 points in the free skate.
- Only Russian woman to successfully defend a World Championship title.
Images for kids
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2019 World Championships - Ladies (Podium).jpg
Medvedeva (right) at the 2019 World Championships podium
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Medvedeva at the 2019 CS Autumn Classic International
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Medvedeva at the 2019 Russian Championships
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Medvedeva at the 2018 CS Autumn Classic
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Medvedeva at the exhibition gala of the 2018 Winter Olympics
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Medvedeva at the 2018 Winter Olympics
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Medvedeva at the 2018 Winter Olympics
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Medvedeva at the 2017 NHK Trophy
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Medvedeva at the 2018 European Championships
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Medvedeva at the 2016–17 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final
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Medvedeva at the 2014–15 JGP Final
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Evgenia Medvedeva at the Junior World Championships
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See also
In Spanish: Yevguéniya Medvédeva para niños
