Maurizio Margaglio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maurizio Margaglio |
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![]() Margaglio in 2019
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Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Country represented | Italy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | 16 November 1974 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Residence | Courmayeur, Italy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Partner | Barbara Fusar-Poli | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Former partner | Claudia Frigoli | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Former coach | Roberto Pelizzola P. Mezzadri Natalia Linichuk |
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Former choreographer | Ludmila Vlasova | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Skating club | Agora Skating Team, Milano | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Retired | 2002, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ISU personal best scores | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Combined total | 183.46 2006 Olympics |
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Comp. dance | 38.78 2006 Olympics |
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Original dance | 51.73 2006 Olympics |
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Free dance | 92.95 2006 Olympics |
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Medal record
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Maurizio Margaglio was born on November 16, 1974. He is an Italian ice dancing coach and a former top figure skater. He is best known for his amazing performances with his skating partner, Barbara Fusar-Poli. Together, they became World champions in 2001. They also won the European championship in 2001. In 2002, they earned a bronze medal at the Olympic Games. They were also Italian champions nine times and competed in three Olympic Games.
Contents
Skating Career
Maurizio Margaglio started skating when he was ten years old. He went straight into ice dancing. Early in his career, he won three Italian junior championships with his first partner, Claudia Frigoli.
Partnering with Barbara Fusar-Poli
Barbara Fusar-Poli asked Maurizio to skate with her after her previous partner stopped. They began skating together at the senior level in the 1994-95 season. They quickly found success, winning several medals in the Grand Prix series.
In the 1999-2000 season, they won their first medals at major championships. They finished second at both the European Championships and the World Championships. This was a big moment for Italy, as it was the first time the country won a medal at the World Championships in figure skating.
For their free dance that season, they used a mix of Celtic music. This included songs from Lord of the Dance and the movie Braveheart. They also used a slow song by Lorena McKennit. A figure skating historian, Ellyn Kestnbaum, noted that their program tried to bring Irish dance moves to the ice. She also said their free dance showed a story of conflict and resolution. It highlighted the strong athleticism of both skaters.
Becoming World Champions
The next season, 2000-01, was incredibly successful for Maurizio and Barbara. They won every competition they entered. They made history by becoming the first Italian skaters to win a World title in any figure skating discipline.
However, the 2001-02 season was a bit tougher. They finished second at the European Championships. Then, at the 2002 Winter Olympics, they earned a bronze medal. This Olympic medal came with some discussion because Maurizio fell during their free dance. Another team protested the result, but it was not changed. After the Olympics, Fusar-Poli and Margaglio did not compete at the 2002 World Championships. They took a break from competitive skating until the 2005-06 season.
Return for the Home Olympics
With the 2006 Winter Olympics happening in Turin, Italy, Maurizio and Barbara decided to return to compete in their home country. They did not compete in any international events before the Olympics. However, they did win the Italian National Championships.
The Olympics was their first international event using a new scoring system. Despite this, they had a small lead after the first part of the event, the compulsory dance. This was a surprise to many, as they were ahead of two-time world champions Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov.
In the original dance, something unexpected happened. With only seconds left in their program, Maurizio lost his balance during a lift. He dropped Barbara and fell to the ice himself. After this, Barbara looked at Maurizio for about thirty seconds before they bowed and left the ice. They dropped to seventh place overall.
They moved up to sixth place after a clean free dance. They told the media that their reaction after the fall was because they were angry at the mistake, not at each other. Years later, Barbara said there were tiny Swarovski crystals on the ice from other skaters' costumes. But she also said the fall was their own mistake. The 2006 Olympics was their last competition together. However, they continued to perform in skating shows.
Coaching Career
In 2010, Maurizio Margaglio started working as a coach. He helped both senior and junior Finnish synchronized skating teams. In 2011, he signed a three-year contract to lead and develop Finland's ice dancing program. He was also named an Olympic Youth Coach. Today, he coaches in Helsinki, Finland, alongside Neil Brown.
Current Students
Maurizio coaches several talented ice dance teams, including:
Darya Grimm / Michail Savitskiy
Natacha Lagouge / Arnaud Caffa
Yuka Orihara / Juho Pirinen
Juulia Turkkila / Matthias Versluis
Former Students
Some of his former students include:
Paulina Ramanauskaitė / Deividas Kizala
Allison Reed / Saulius Ambrulevičius
Chelsea Verhaegh / Sherim van Geffen
Personal Life
Maurizio Margaglio was born in Milan, Italy. His mother was a housewife, and his father was an accountant.
By 1998, he started a relationship with German figure skater Jyrina Lorenz. They are now married and have three sons. Their sons are named Gabriel (born in 2007), Sebastian (born in 2009), and Julian (born in 2012 in Helsinki).