Nikita Katsalapov facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nikita Katsalapov
Katsalapov at the Kremlin in 2022
Personal information
Native name	Никита Геннадьевич Кацалапов
Full name	Nikita Gennadyevich Katsalapov
Country represented	Russia
Born	(1991-07-10) 10 July 1991 (age 34) Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Residence	Moscow
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Partner	Victoria Sinitsina
Former partner	Elena Ilinykh Angelina Kabysheva
Coach	Alexander Zhulin Petr Durnev
Former coach	Marina Zoueva Nikolai Morozov Maria Voitsekhovskai Denis Samokhin Tatiana Tarasova Oleg Volkov Irina Lobacheva
Choreographer	Sergei Petukhov
Former choreographer	Nikolai Morozov Liudmila Vlasova Alexander Zhulin
Skating club	Olympic School Moskvich, Moscow
Former skating club	Vorobievye Gory
Training locations	Moscow
Former training locations	Novogorsk, Ventspils
Began skating	1995
World standing	With Sinitsina 1 (2020-21) 1 (2019-20) 2 (2018-19) 23 (2017–18) 18 (2016–17) 25 (2015–16) 70 (2014–15) With Ilinykh 7 (2013–14) 7 (2012–13) 10 (2011–12) 13 (2010–11) 31 (2009–10)
ISU personal best scores
Combined total	221.17 2021 Worlds
Short dance:	88.85 2022 Olympics
Free dance	133.02 2021 Worlds
Medal record Figure skating: Ice dance Representing  ROC (with Sinitsina) Olympic Games Silver 2022 Beijing Ice dancing Bronze 2022 Beijing Team Representing FSR (with Sinitsina) World Championships Gold 2021 Stockholm Ice dancing Representing  Russia (with Sinitsina) World Championships Silver 2019 Saitama Ice dancing Grand Prix Final Silver 2018–19 Vancouver Ice dancing World Team Trophy Gold 2021 Osaka Team Bronze 2019 Fukuoka Team Representing  Russia (with Ilinykh) Olympic Games Gold 2014 Sochi Team Bronze 2014 Sochi Ice dancing World Junior Championships Gold 2010 The Hague Ice dancing Junior Grand Prix Final Silver 2009–10 Tokyo Ice dancing

Nikita Gennadyevich Katsalapov (Russian: Никита Геннадьевич Кацалапов; born 10 July 1991) is a Russian ice dancer. He is famous for his amazing performances on the ice.

With his partner, Victoria Sinitsina, he won a silver medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics in ice dancing. They also earned a bronze medal in the team event at the same Olympics. In 2021, they became World Champions. They also won the European Championships twice (in 2020 and 2022) and were silver medalists at the 2019 World Championships. They have won many other medals in major competitions.

Before partnering with Victoria, Nikita skated with Elena Ilinykh. Together, they won a gold medal in the team event at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. They also won a bronze medal in ice dancing at those same Olympics. They were also Junior World Champions in 2010.

About Nikita Katsalapov

Nikita Katsalapov was born on July 10, 1991, in Moscow, Russia.

On October 2, 2022, Nikita married his ice dancing partner, Victoria Sinitsina. They had gotten engaged earlier that year in May.

Early Skating Days

Nikita first started as a single skater. However, he found some jumps difficult. He then decided to try ice dancing, which involves two skaters performing together.

He was first paired with Elena Ilinykh. They trained with famous coaches like Irina Lobacheva and Ilia Averbukh. They later trained with Alexander Zhulin. Nikita also skated with Angelina Kabysheva for a few years.

Skating with Elena Ilinykh

Junior Success

Elena Ilinykh and Nikita Katsalapov teamed up again in 2008. They trained with Alexander Zhulin in Moscow. In their first season, they placed fourth at the Russian Junior Championships.

During the 2009–10 season, they competed in the Junior Grand Prix series for the first time. They won gold medals in Hungary and Poland. This helped them qualify for the Junior Grand Prix Final, where they won a silver medal. They also won silver at the Russian Junior Championships. Their biggest junior achievement was winning the gold medal at the 2010 World Junior Championships.

Senior Competitions

For the 2010–11 season, Ilinykh and Katsalapov started competing at the senior level. They chose a ballet-themed free dance to Don Quixote. They won their first senior Grand Prix medal, a bronze, at the 2010 Cup of Russia. They also earned a bronze medal at the Russian Nationals. This allowed them to compete at the European Championships, where they finished fourth. They also placed seventh at their first World Championships. After this season, they changed coaches to Nikolai Morozov.

In the 2011–12 season, they won a bronze medal at the 2011 NHK Trophy. Elena had a knee injury during this event but they still finished the competition. They won silver at the Russian Championships. At the 2012 European Championships, they earned a bronze medal. They finished fifth at the 2012 World Championships.

For the 2012–13 season, they won gold at the 2012 Crystal Skate of Romania. They also won two silver medals at Grand Prix events. They finished sixth at the Grand Prix Final. At the Russian Championships, they won silver. They also won a silver medal at the 2013 European Championships, missing gold by a tiny amount. They placed ninth at the 2013 World Championships.

Olympic Success and Partnership Change

Katsalapov at the awarding ceremony for Russian athletes with President Vladimir Putin

The 2013–14 season was very important. Ilinykh and Katsalapov won a silver medal at the 2013 Trophee Eric Bompard. They also won their third national silver medal at the Russian Championships. At the 2014 European Championships, they won another silver medal.

At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, they were part of the first-ever team event. They helped Team Russia win the gold medal! This made Nikita the first skater to win two gold medals in the team event. They then won a bronze medal in the individual ice dancing event.

After the Olympics, their partnership ended. Nikita decided to skate with a new partner.

Skating with Victoria Sinitsina

On April 11, 2014, Nikita Katsalapov and Victoria Sinitsina officially became partners. They started training in Michigan, USA.

Early Seasons Together

Sinitsina and Katsalapov made their first competition appearance at the 2014 Rostelecom Cup in Moscow, where they placed fourth. They finished fourth at the 2015 Russian Championships.

In the 2015–16 season, Nikita had a foot injury. Despite this, they won a silver medal at the 2015 Skate America and a bronze at the 2015 Rostelecom Cup. They then won a silver medal at the 2016 Russian Championships. At the 2016 European Championships, they finished fourth, and ninth at the 2016 World Championships. Nikita had shoulder surgery after this season.

For the 2016–17 season, they moved back to Russia to train. They won a bronze medal at the 2017 Russian Championships.

In the 2017–18 season, they won a bronze medal at the 2017 CS Minsk-Arena Ice Star and another bronze at the 2017 Skate America.

World and European Champions

Sinitsina/Katsalapov at the 2019 World Championships

The 2018–19 season was a big one for Sinitsina and Katsalapov. They won gold at the 2018 CS Ondrej Nepela Trophy. They also won two silver medals at Grand Prix events, which qualified them for the Grand Prix Final. There, they won a silver medal. They then won their first Russian national title. At the 2019 World Championships, they won a silver medal, their first World medal together. They also won a bronze medal as part of Team Russia at the 2019 World Team Trophy.

Sinitsina/Katsalapov claim gold at the 2020 European Championships

In the 2019–20 season, they won gold at the 2019 CS Ondrej Nepela Memorial and two Grand Prix gold medals. They won their second Russian national title. At the 2020 European Championships in Graz, they won the gold medal, which was a major achievement. The World Championships that year were canceled due to the global pandemic.

For the 2020–21 season, both skaters faced health issues, including COVID-19. Despite this, they recovered and won the 2020 Rostelecom Cup. They then won the gold medal at the 2021 World Championships in Stockholm. This win helped Russia earn three spots for ice dance at the next Olympics. They finished the season by winning gold with Team Russia at the 2021 World Team Trophy.

Olympic Medals

In the 2021–22 season, Sinitsina and Katsalapov won two Grand Prix gold medals. They successfully defended their European title at the 2022 European Championships.

At the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, they competed in the team event. They helped Team Russia win the gold medal. In the individual ice dance event, they won the silver medal. This was Victoria's second Olympic medal and Nikita's fourth.

Public Appearances

In March 2022, Nikita Katsalapov and Victoria Sinitsina appeared at a public event in Moscow. They wore a symbol (the letter "Z") that was used by the Russian army. Their appearance at this event was criticized by some, including Ukrainian ice dancers Oleksandra Nazarova and Maksym Nikitin, who were former training partners and expressed their sadness about the situation. In December 2022, the Ukrainian Parliament placed sanctions on Katsalapov and Sinitsina due to their support for the actions.

Skating Programs

With Sinitsina

With Ilinykh

Ilinykh and Katsalapov at the 2014 European Championships

Ilinykh and Katsalapov at the 2013 European Championships

Records and Achievements

(with Sinitsina)

• They set a record for the highest free dance score (120.46 points) at the 2018 CS Ondrej Nepela Trophy.
• They were the first team to score over 120 points in the free dance at that event.
• They became the first ice dance team to win both the World Championship and the World Team Trophy in the same year.

Competition Results

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

With Sinitsina

Sinitsina and Katsalapov at the 2018–19 Grand Prix Final

With Ilinykh

Ilinykh and Katsalapov at the 2014 Winter Olympics podium.

Detailed Results

Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships. At team events, medals awarded for team results only. ISU personal bests highlighted in bold.

With Sinitsina

Sinitsina and Katsalapov at the 2017 Skate America

Sinitsina and Katsalapov at the 2016 World Championships

Sinitsina and Katsalapov at the 2016 European Championships

With Ilinykh

Ilinykh and Katsalapov Free dance at the 2012 Rostelecom Cup

Ilinykh and Katsalapov at the 2012 World Championships

The short dance at 2011 Worlds

Ilinykh and Katsalapov won the 2009 Junior Grand Prix Final.

Images for kids

• 

  Ilinykh and Katsalapov Free dance at the 2012 Rostelecom Cup

• 

  Ilinykh and Katsalapov at the 2012 World Championships

• 

  The short dance at 2011 Worlds

• 

  Ilinykh and Katsalapov won the 2009 Junior Grand Prix Final.

See also

In Spanish: Nikita Katsalápov para niños