Ilia Kulik facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ilia Kulik |
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Kulik in the 2008 Christmas On Ice show.
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| Country represented |  Russia |
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| Born | 23 May 1977 Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union |
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| Residence | Highland park, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former coach | Tatiana Tarasova Viktor Kudriavtsev |
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| Former choreographer | Tatiana Tarasova | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | 1998 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Ilia Kulik is a famous Russian figure skater. He was born on May 23, 1977. Ilia is best known for winning the gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics. He also won the European Championship in 1995 and the World Junior Championship in 1995.
Contents
Ilia's Skating Journey
Ilia Kulik started skating when he was five years old. He quickly showed great talent on the ice.
Early Wins and Success
In November 1994, Ilia won the World Junior title. He was only 17 years old. A few months later, he won the European title. This was a huge achievement for such a young skater. At his first big senior competition, the World Championships, he finished ninth.
Becoming a World Champion
The next year, Ilia won a silver medal at the 1996 World Championships. During the 1997-98 season, he won gold at the 1997 NHK Trophy. He also earned a silver medal at the 1997 Skate Canada International. These wins helped him qualify for the Champion Series Final, which is now called the Grand Prix Final. He won the gold medal there.
Ilia also won the Russian national title in 1998. However, he could not compete in the 1998 European Championships because of back problems.
Olympic Gold Medal
At the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, Ilia Kulik was amazing. He placed first in both the short program and the long program. He won the Olympic gold medal when he was 20 years old. This made him one of the youngest male Olympic champions in figure skating history.
Life After Competition
After the 1998 Olympics, Ilia had to stop competing due to his back injury. He then started performing in ice shows. He has skated in many popular tours like Stars on Ice. He also performed in shows in Russia and other events like Ice All Stars and Festa On Ice. In 1999, he even skated a special performance with his wife, Ekaterina Gordeeva.
Ilia also tried acting. He played a Russian dancer named Sergei in the 2000 movie Center Stage. In 2012, Ilia and Ekaterina opened a skating rink in Lake Forest, California. Ilia has also coached other skaters, including Michael Christian Martinez. In March 2025, Ilia performed in a special event called the Legacy on Ice gala.
Ilia's Family Life
Ilia Kulik has a sister named Svetlana, who lives in California. His parents live in Russia.
Ilia married Ekaterina Gordeeva on June 10, 2002. They have a daughter named Elizaveta, who was born on June 15, 2001. Ekaterina also has another daughter, Daria, from her first marriage. The family lived in California and Connecticut before returning to the Los Angeles area. Ilia and Ekaterina are no longer married.
Skating Programs
Figure skaters perform different programs to music. These programs are carefully planned routines.
Programs After 1998
| Season | Pro/Pro-am events | Exhibition |
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| 2012–2013 |
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| 2011–2012 |
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| 2008–2009 |
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| 2007–2008 |
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| 2006–2007 |
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| 2003–2004 |
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| 2002–2003 |
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| 2001–2002 |
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| 2000–2001 |
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| 1999–2000 |
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| 1998–1999 |
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(with Ekaterina Gordeeva)
| Season | Program |
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| 1999–2000 |
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Programs Before 1998
| Season | Short program | Free skating | Exhibition |
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| 1997–1998 | Revolutions by Jean Michel Jarre |
Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin |
Demon Warriors/Final Kombat from Mortal Kombat by George S. Clinton Liebestraum by Franz Liszt |
| 1996–1997 | Faust by Henryk Wieniawski |
Romeo and Juliet by Pyotr Tchaikovsky |
Liebestraum by Franz Liszt |
| 1995–1996 | The Addams Family | Aladdin | Always by Bon Jovi The Addams Family |
| 1994–1995 | Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi |
An American in Paris by George Gershwin |
Competitive Achievements
Ilia Kulik won many medals during his competitive skating career. Here are some of his top achievements:
- 1998 Winter Olympics: Gold Medal
- 1996 World Championships: Silver Medal
- 1995 European Championships: Gold Medal
- 1996 European Championships: Bronze Medal
- 1997–1998 Grand Prix Final: Gold Medal
- 1997 Russian Championships: Gold Medal
- 1998 Russian Championships: Gold Medal
- 1995 World Junior Championships: Gold Medal
- 1993 World Junior Championships: Bronze Medal
Images for kids
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Kulik in the 2008 Christmas On Ice show.
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The Olympic rings symbol.
See also
In Spanish: Iliá Kulik para niños
