Yulia Lipnitskaya facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yulia Lipnitskaya
Lipnitskaya at the 2014 European Championships
Personal information
Native name	Юлия Вячеславовна Липницкая
Full name	Yulia Vyacheslavovna Lipnitskaya
Alternative names	Julia Lipnitskaia
Country represented	Russia
Born	(1998-06-05) 5 June 1998 (age 27) Yekaterinburg, Russia
Home town	Moscow, Russia
Height	1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Began skating	2002
Retired	28 August 2017

Yulia Vyacheslavovna Lipnitskaya (born 5 June 1998) is a Russian former competitive figure skater. She was part of the Russian team that won a gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics team event. This made her the youngest Russian athlete to win a Winter Olympics gold medal.

Individually, Yulia won a silver medal at the 2014 World Championships. She also became the 2014 European champion, making her the youngest female figure skater to win this title. She earned silver at the 2013–14 Grand Prix Final and was a two-time Russian national silver medalist. As a junior skater, Yulia won the 2012 World Junior Championships and the 2011–12 Junior Grand Prix Final. She retired from the sport in 2017 due to injuries and health challenges.

Yulia's Early Life

Yulia Vyacheslavovna Lipnitskaya was born on 5 June 1998, in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Her mother, Daniela Leonidovna Lipnitskaya, raised Yulia. Yulia was given her mother's last name.

Yulia's Skating Career

Starting to Skate

Yulia Lipnitskaya began figure skating at age four. Her mother took her to train with coach Elena Levkovets. She also practiced rhythmic gymnastics to become more flexible. Yulia skated in Yekaterinburg until 2009. Then, she and her mother decided to move to Moscow for her skating career. In March 2009, Yulia joined coach Eteri Tutberidze's group.

In the 2009–10 season, Yulia placed fifth at the 2010 Russian Junior Championships. The next season, she was fourth at the 2011 Russian Championships at the senior level.

International Junior Success (2011–12)

Lipnitskaya at the 2011–2012 Junior Grand Prix Final

In the 2011–12 season, Yulia was old enough to compete internationally as a junior. She started on the Junior Grand Prix series in Poland. She won the gold medal there. She then won her second event in Italy, which qualified her for the Junior Grand Prix Final. At the Final in Canada, Yulia won the gold medal.

Yulia won a silver medal at the 2012 Russian Championships at the senior level. She then won gold at the 2012 Russian Junior Championships. At the World Junior Championships, she won gold. She also set new junior-level records for total score and free skate score. Yulia did not fall during any of her competitions in the 2011–12 season.

Senior Debut and Challenges (2012–13)

Yulia was old enough for some senior events in the 2012–13 season. She won gold at her first senior event, the 2012 Finlandia Trophy. She competed in two Grand Prix events. Yulia won a silver medal at the 2012 Cup of China. She then won a bronze medal at the 2012 Trophee Eric Bompard in France. She competed despite twisting her ankle before the event.

Yulia qualified for the Grand Prix Final but had to withdraw due to an injury. She hurt her chin and had a slight concussion during training. Doctors told her to rest for at least two weeks. She later returned to competition at the 2013 Russian Junior Championships, finishing fifth. She then won a silver medal at the 2013 World Junior Championships.

Olympic and European Champion (2013–14)

Lipnitskaya at the 2014 Olympics Team event with Evgeni Plushenko

For the 2013–14 season, Yulia chose all her program music herself. She picked music from Schindler's List for her free skate. Former ice dancer Ilia Averbukh created her programs.

Yulia started the season by winning gold at the 2013 Finlandia Trophy. She won gold at the 2013 Skate Canada International and the 2013 Rostelecom Cup. These wins qualified her for the Grand Prix Final in Japan, where she won a silver medal.

At the 2014 Russian Championships, Yulia won a silver medal. In her first European Championships, she won the gold medal. At 15 years old, Yulia became the youngest European champion in ladies' singles.

Yulia was chosen for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. She skated in the team event. She placed first in both parts of the competition, helping Russia win the gold medal. This made her the youngest Olympic gold medalist in figure skating under modern rules. After the team event, Yulia left Sochi to train in Moscow. In the individual event, she finished fifth overall.

In March, Yulia received a letter from Steven Spielberg, the director of Schindler's List. He praised her performance to the film's music. A few weeks later, she made her World Championship debut at the 2014 World Championships in Japan. She won the silver medal, placing second behind Mao Asada.

Challenges and Coaching Change (2014–16)

Lipnitskaya at the 2014–15 Grand Prix Final

In the 2014–15 season, Yulia competed at the 2014 Cup of China and the 2014 Trophée Éric Bompard. She won silver medals at both events. She then qualified for the Grand Prix Final in Spain, where she finished fifth.

At the 2015 Russian Championships, Yulia placed ninth. She was not chosen for the European or World Championships that year.

In May 2015, Yulia started working with a new choreographer, Marina Zueva. Her 2015–16 Grand Prix events were Skate America and Trophée Éric Bompard. She won a silver medal at the 2015 Finlandia Trophy. She placed sixth at the 2015 Skate America. The 2015 Trophée Éric Bompard was canceled after the short program due to terrorist attacks in Paris.

In November 2015, Yulia announced she was leaving her longtime coaches, Eteri Tutberidze and Sergei Dudakov. She moved to train with 1994 Olympic champion, Alexei Urmanov, in Sochi. In December, she finished seventh at the Russian Championships. She then won a silver medal at the 2015–16 Russian Cup Final. Yulia won gold at the 2016 Cup of Tyrol in Austria, her first win in two years.

Injuries and Retirement (2016–17)

For the 2016–17 season, Yulia was assigned to two Grand Prix events. She won a silver medal at the Ondrej Nepela Memorial in Slovakia. Yulia withdrew from Skate America due to a recurring injury. She still competed at the 2016 Rostelecom Cup. During her free skate, her leg injury worsened, and she had to stop. She was allowed to continue but received penalties. She finished 12th.

In December 2016, Yulia injured her right hip and lower back after slipping on ice. This caused her to withdraw from the Russian Championships.

On 28 August 2017, Yulia's mother announced that Yulia had decided to retire in April. This decision came after three months of treatment for health challenges. The President of the Russian Figure Skating Federation confirmed her retirement.

Even after retiring from competitive skating, Yulia still teaches young skaters. In December 2020, she joined the coaching team at Evgeni Plushenko's skating academy.

Yulia's Personal Life

In June 2020, Yulia Lipnitskaya shared that she was expecting her first child with her partner, Vladislav Tarasenko. Their daughter, Katalina, was born on 27 June 2020. In June 2024, Yulia married Dmitri Mikhailov, a figure skating coach and choreographer. They work together at Evgeni Plushenko's academy. The couple welcomed a son in September 2024.

Yulia's Records and Achievements

• Youngest Olympic figure skating gold medalist since 1936.
• Youngest Russian athlete to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics.
• Youngest women's singles skater to win the European title.
• First Russian women's singles skater to score over 200 points in total score.
• She used to hold the world record for the junior women's free skate score (123.96 points). She set this at the 2012 World Junior Championships.
• She also used to hold the world record for the junior women's total score (187.05 points) from the same event.

Yulia's Junior World Record Scores

Yulia Lipnitskaya once held the junior world records for the free skate and combined total scores.

Yulia's Skating Programs

Lipnitskaya at the 2011–12 Junior Grand Prix Final

Lipnitskaya competing her free skate at the 2014 Olympics Team event

Competition and exhibition programs by season 

Season	Short program	Free skate program	Exhibition program
2011–12	"Dark Eyes" Choreo. by Nikolai Morozov	"Un Giorno Per Noi" From Romeo and Juliet Composed by Nino Rota Choreo. by Nikolai Morozov	"Je t'aime" Performed by Lara Fabian
2012–13	"Sabre Dance" Composed by Aram Khachaturian Performed by Vanessa-Mae Choreo. by Nikolai Morozov	Pas de Deux From The Nutcracker Choreo. by Nikolai Morozov	"Je t'aime" Performed by Lara Fabian
2013–14	"You Don't Give Up On Love" (Не отрекаются любя) Composed by Mark Minkov Choreo. by Ilia Averbukh	Schindler's List Composed by John Williams Choreo. by Ilia Averbukh	"Je t'aime" Performed by Lara Fabian
			"Sabre Dance" Composed by Aram Khachaturian Performed by Vanessa-Mae Choreo. by Nikolai Morozov
			Kill Bill Vol. 1
2014–15	"Megapolis" (Мегаполис) Composed by Bel Suono Choreo. by Ilia Averbukh	Romeo and Juliet "A Time for Us" From Romeo and Juliet Composed by Nino Rota "Mother's Journey" From Good Bye Lenin Composed by Yann Tiersen "Forbidden Love" From Romeo and Juliet Composed by Abel Korzeniowski Choreo. by Ilia Averbukh	"It's Wonderful" Performed by Paolo Conte
2015–16	Elvis Presley Choreo. by Marina Zueva 'Tracks used' "Can't Help Falling in Love" "(You're the) Devil in Disguise"	"Leningrad" Composed by William Joseph Choreo. by Marina Zueva	"Megapolis" (Мегаполис) Composed by Bel Suono Choreo. by Ilia Averbukh
			"Dance for You" Performed by Beyoncé
2016–17	"Les feuilles mortes" Composed by Joseph Kosma Performed by Koala Liu Choreo. by Stéphane Lambiel	Kill Bill Choreo. by Alexei Urmanov and Olga Poverennaya 'Tracks used' "Twisted Nerve" "Goodnight Moon" "Ironside" "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" "Battle Without Honor or Humanity"	N/A

Competition Highlights

Lipnitskaya at the awarding ceremony for Russian athletes with President Vladimir Putin in 2014

Detailed Results

Senior Level Results

Results in the 2010–11 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total		Details
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
26–29 Dec 2010	2011 Russian Championships	5	59.13	4	117.14	4	176.27	Details

Results in the 2011–12 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total		Details
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
25–29 Dec 2011	2012 Russian Championships	3	63.11	1	128.54	2	191.65	Details

Lipnitskaya (right) with Ashley Wagner and Elizaveta Tuktamysheva at the 2012 Trophée Éric Bompard podium

Results in the 2012–13 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total		Details
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
5–7 Oct 2012	2012 Finlandia Trophy	2	64.05	1	124.18	1	188.23	Details
2–4 Nov 2012	2012 Cup of China	1	63.06	2	114.86	2	177.92	Details
16–18 Nov 2012	2012 Trophée Éric Bompard	1	63.55	3	115.76	3	179.31	Details

Lipnitskaya (left) with Mao Asada and Carolina Kostner at the 2014 World Championships podium

Results in the 2013–14 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total		Details
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
4–6 Oct 2013	2013 Finlandia Trophy	1	65.49	1	125.82	1	191.31	Details
25–27 Oct 2013	2013 Skate Canada International	2	66.89	1	131.34	1	198.23	Details
22–24 Nov 2013	2013 Rostelecom Cup	1	72.24	2	118.56	1	190.80	Details
5–8 Dec 2013	2013–14 Grand Prix Final	4	66.62	2	125.45	2	192.07	Details
24–26 Dec 2013	2014 Russian Championships	2	70.32	1	140.49	2	210.81	Details
15–19 Jan 2014	2014 European Championships	2	69.97	1	139.75	1	209.72	Details
6–9 Feb 2014	2014 Winter Olympics (Team event)	1	72.90	1	141.51	1	–	Details
19–20 Feb 2014	2014 Winter Olympics	5	65.23	6	135.34	5	200.57	Details
27–29 Mar 2014	2014 World Championships	3	74.54	2	132.96	2	207.50	Details

Lipnitskaya at the 2014 Trophée Éric Bompard

Results in the 2014–15 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total		Details
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
7–9 Nov 2014	2014 Cup of China	1	69.56	4	104.01	2	173.57	Details
21–23 Nov 2014	2014 Trophée Éric Bompard	2	66.79	2	118.39	2	185.18	Details
11–14 Dec 2014	2014–15 Grand Prix Final	2	66.24	6	111.55	5	177.79	Details
24–28 Dec 2014	2015 Russian Championships	6	66.90	11	102.80	9	169.70	Details

Results in the 2015–16 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total		Details
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
8–11 Oct 2015	2015 CS Finlandia Trophy	2	62.81	2	109.52	2	172.33	Details
23–25 Oct 2015	2015 Skate America	5	62.24	7	108.39	6	170.63	Details
13–15 Nov 2015	2015 Trophée Éric Bompard	2	65.63	–	–	2	–	Details
24–27 Dec 2015	2016 Russian Championships	3	73.77	10	121.47	7	195.24	Details
16–20 Feb 2016	2016 Russian Cup Final	1	65.43	3	123.12	2	188.55	Details
9–13 Mar 2016	2016 Cup of Tyrol	1	66.73	1	105.91	1	172.64	Details

Note: The 2015 Trophée Éric Bompard was cancelled after the November 2015 Paris attacks. The short programs had been completed on 13 November, but the free skates were to be held the next day. On 23 November, the International Skating Union announced that the short program results would be considered as the final results for the competition.

Results in the 2016–17 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total		Details
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
29 Sep – 1 October 2016	2016 CS Ondrej Nepela Memorial	1	63.16	5	102.30	2	165.46	Details
4–6 Nov 2016	2016 Rostelecom Cup	3	69.25	12	79.21	12	148.46	Details

Junior Level Results

Results in the 2009–10 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total		Details
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
3–6 Feb 2010	2010 Russian Championships (Junior)	5	55.66	5	99.84	5	155.50	Details

Results in the 2010–11 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total		Details
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
2–4 Feb 2011	2011 Russian Championships (Junior)	7	51.75	–	–	–	WD	Details

Lipnitskaya (center) at the 2012 World Junior Championships

Results in the 2011–12 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total		Details
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
15–17 Sep 2011	2011 JGP Poland	1	60.37	1	112.14	1	172.51	Details
6–8 Oct 2011	2011 JGP Italy	1	63.71	1	119.34	1	183.05	Details
8–11 Dec 2011	2011–12 Junior Grand Prix Final	1	59.98	1	119.75	1	179.73	Details
5–7 Feb 2012	2012 Russian Championships (Junior)	1	65.28	1	126.64	1	191.92	Details
2–3 Mar 2012	2012 World Junior Championships	1	63.09	1	123.96	1	187.05	Details

Results in the 2012–13 season 

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total		Details
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
1–2 Feb 2013	2013 Russian Championships (Junior)	3	67.03	6	111.53	5	178.56	Details
2–3 Mar 2013	2013 World Junior Championships	4	53.86	2	111.81	2	165.67	Details

Awards and Recognition

• Russian Order of Friendship: Yulia received this award for her great contributions to sports and her achievements at the 2014 Winter Olympics. (24 February 2014)

Images for kids

• 

  Lipnitskaya at the 2014 European Championships

• 

  Lipnitskaya at the 2011–2012 Junior Grand Prix Final

• 

  Lipnitskaya at the 2014 Olympics Team event with Evgeni Plushenko

• 

  Lipnitskaya with Mao Asada and Carolina Kostner at the 2014 World Championships podium

• 

  Lipnitskaya at the 2014 Trophée Éric Bompard

• 

  Lipnitskaya with President Vladimir Putin in 2014

See also

In Spanish: Yúliya Lipnítskaya para niños