It seems like it was very recent. Julia Lipnitskaya and Adelina Sotnikova shone on the ice Olympic Sochi, disrupting the enthusiasm of the fans and bringing gold medals to the country.
Glory was divided in half: Lipnitskaya, as part of the Russian national team, won the team tournament, and Sotnikova became the first Russian woman in history to win the Olympic singles tournament.
Then it seemed that their story was just beginning. But on the eve of the start of the new Olympic season, it became known that neither Yulia Lipntsika nor Adelina Sotnikova would be in Pyeongchang 2018.
Train has already left
Almost simultaneously, information came that 19-year-old Lipnitskaya was ending her career, and 21-year-old Sotnikova would miss the season due to injury.
The latest statement was made by Adeline's coach Evgeny Plushenko. Yes, imagine, Plushenko, whose departure from big-time sports turned into an endless and boring series for everyone, seems to have decided to launch a sequel with Sotnikova.
Unfortunately, it is hard to believe that Plushenko will return Sotnikova to the orbit of big-time sports. Firstly, he has no experience of working with international level athletes, and secondly, time works against Adeline. Yes, yes, sometimes it happens like this: your train has left, although you are only 21 years old.
If the situation in the women's figure skating Russia developed in the same way as for men, where Plushenko, who appeared after a downtime, could easily turn out to be the best, for sure, both Sotnikovva and Lipnitskaya would calmly prepare for Pyeongchang.
But the fact is that our feminine figure skating covered an unprecedented harvest of outstanding talents. And the champions of Sochi-2014 became the victims of this harvest.
Knockout from young competitors
Recall that after the Olympics, Sotnikova missed the season: partly due to injuries, partly out of a desire to take a break from sports. Adelina took part in a number of television shows, the audience liked her in a new role, but still decided to return to the ice.
However, everything did not go as planned: 2nd place at the Mordovian Patterns tournament, 3rd place at the Russian Grand Prix, and finally, embarrassment at the Russian Championship in Yekaterinburg. Until recently, the best figure skater in Russia was only in 6th place.
All yesterday's competitors, it should be noted, were even lower: Lipnitskaya finished seventh, Elizaveta Tuktamysheva- the eighth, and Alena Leonova- ninth.
New star of Russian and world figure skating Evgenia Medvedeva ahead of the champion of Sochi by 37 points! In boxing, this is called a knockout.
But it's not just about Medvedeva. Sotnikova was confidently outstripped by a whole group of younger girls: Elena Radionova, Anna Pogorilaya, Maria Sotskova.
The times when Sotnikova was out of competition are over. The same applies to Lipnitskaya.
“Adeline wants to come back. But he wants for three years
It cannot be said that this situation was hopeless. Sotnikova turned into a beautiful adult woman and she could compensate for the teenage successes of her competitors with artistry.
But in order to challenge the youth, it was necessary to focus exclusively on figure skating, to go headlong into it: and all this, I note, without any guarantees of success.
Last season, Adelina performed with success, but not at the championships, but at ice shows. And in the spring of 2017, it became known that from coach Elena Buyanova, leading Sotnikova to victory in Sochi-2014, she goes to Evgeni Plushenko.
"Whole last season I hardly saw Adeline. I found out where she is from the Internet. It's a shame that she announced her decision by phone, sending SMS. Knowing her, I understand: yes, it’s easier for her. But in life you need to be able to overpower yourself.
As regards the resumption sports career, then while this is a pointless conversation. As far as I know from the words of the athlete herself, now she is seriously injured, I think that she has not started training on ice yet ... Adelina wants to return. But he wants to for three years. Zhenya wants to try. But for now, it's all in words. God forbid, if they succeed, I will be glad. We are with Peter Chernyshev And Irina Tagaeva they did their job, gave the girl a profession, taught a lot. And how Adelina manages this, time will tell, ”said Buyanova, commenting on the decision of her pupil.
And now we find out that Sotnikova will not return to the ice in the Olympic season.
No options
And the train called "women's figure skating" goes further and further. At the Russian Championship in Chelyabinsk in December 2016, Evgenia Medvedeva confirmed her class, and the fourteen-year-old Alina Zagitova, the world champion among juniors, who today is already pressing those who pushed Lipnitskaya and Sotnikova.
Elena Radionova, who was considered the "second number" of the Russian team after Medvedeva, was only fifth. Sotnikova's eternal rival Elizaveta Tuktamysheva is eighth, and twenty-six-year-old enthusiast Alena Leonova, who won silver at the World Championship back in 2012, “flew” to 13th place.
Maybe it's for the best that neither Sotnikova nor Lipnitskaya were present at this tournament?
Most of all, this is reminiscent of the situation in the world of chess during the Soviet era, when international federation set a limit on the participation of Soviet grandmasters in world championships. Simply because without this limit, others, except for the Soviet ones, could not have been in decisive stages.
Perhaps this is too bold an assumption, but I think that both Yulia Lipnitskaya and Adelina Sotnikova could compete for medals in Pyeongchang even now. But the friendly ranks of stronger compatriot competitors will not let them in there.
It's not a tragedy
There is no reason to make a tragedy out of this. legendary Irina Slutskaya whole career went to Olympic gold, but never got around to it. No one will take away gold medals from Lipnitskaya and Sotnikova. Ahead of a whole life in which you need to find your place. Julia, it seems, has already realized this, but with Adeline it is more difficult. Personal experience Evgenia Plushenko teaches that the fairy tale about the white bull called "return to big sport' may take a long time. Respect and love for Adelina Sotnikova is definitely not going to add.
The change of scenery in modern figure skating is much faster. The reign of the three-time Olympic champion Irina Rodnina, stretching for a decade, today seems unrealistic. As well as three victories at the Olympics of the famous German single skater Catherine Witt.
At the 1998 Olympics, an American Tara Lipinski won the women's singles figure skating tournament at the age of 15 years and 255 days. Yulia Lipnitskaya became the Olympic champion at the age of 15 years and 249 days. Lipinski retired after her victory amateur sports, believing that she had reached her peak. Perhaps sometimes leaving the sport at less than 16 is the best of all possible solutions.
The future figure skater was born in the Russian capital in 1996, on the first of July. The athlete's great-grandfather, fighter pilot Alexander Kochetov, is a Hero of the USSR, who during the war years made about 500 sorties, shooting down several dozen enemy aircraft. The girl's father works in the criminal investigation department, and her mother was a budding acrobat in the past, but due to a serious injury and a long rehabilitation period, she had to forget about sports. Adeline also has a sister, Masha, who, unfortunately, suffers from a severe congenital disease. A lot of money is spent on her treatment, and before the family financially helped the figure skater's coach - Tatyana Tarasova, however, after brilliant victory at the Sochi Olympics, the girl herself is able to pay for her sister's treatment. Adeline does not hide the fact that she is very close to her parents, who, in turn, support her in every possible way in everything. For the first time, Sotnikova entered the ice at the age of four, by the age of seven she already had a good base and the girl began to be called a pitcher great expectations figure skater, and at the age of 13 she performed complexes of the most complex cascades in one program, which were beyond the power of many of her older and more experienced colleagues. In 2009, the young figure skater received an award from the hands of the head of state and promised to win the Olympics. The athlete kept her promise, five years later.
Adelina Sotnikova in childhood
More than three hundred thousand followers follow Adelina’s life on Instagram alone, and, of course, in addition to sports achievements, subscribers are also interested in the personal life of their favorite. So, a few years ago there were rumors that the young athlete began a romantic relationship with her colleague, figure skater Maxim Kovtun. On the pages of both guys in in social networks their joint photos began to appear not only from training, but also outside the ice arena.
In the pictures, young people had a lot of fun and looked very happy. This only fueled the interest of subscribers to the couple, and soon they began to talk about the fact that Adeline and Maxim allegedly plan to legalize their relationship. However, later the girl herself decided to dispel these rumors, and stated that she and Kovtun were just Good friends, but not more.
Adelina Sotnikova and Maxim Kovtun
In the spring of 2016, Sotnikova came to the premiere of the military melodramatic film "Hero" along with a young Moscow showman and host of the TV show "Magazzino" and some other projects, Alexander Molochko. Young people literally did not leave each other, the whole event held hands, and in every possible way demonstrated their romantic feelings. After their first joint appearance in public, Alexander officially confirmed in an interview that he and Adeline were dating.
The guys met on the set of a glossy magazine, and immediately liked each other. However, their union was not at all strong and the relationship did not last long. Very soon, the athlete and the TV presenter broke up, and, as it turned out, the reason for this was treason. young man which the girl could not forgive. Alexander met in parallel with another girl named Malika Mirzoyanova, and as soon as Adeline found out about her rival, she decided to break off the relationship.
The TV presenter himself did not deny that he had previously had a connection with Malika, but claimed that he broke up with her as soon as he met Sotnikova. He also said that these relations became public due to the actions of Mirzoyanova, who, in his opinion, simply decided to promote themselves at the expense of them with Adeline.
Adelina Sotnikova and Alexander Molochko
After such an unpleasant parting with Alexander, the athlete did not grieve for long and soon began to appear in public with the eldest son of the Russian performer Valeria, Artemy Shulgin. However, young people, by no means, were in no hurry to comment on their relationship in any way, but, instead of them, in the spring of 2017, Artemy's stepfather, producer Iosif Prigozhin, did it.
Answering journalists' questions, he confirmed that Artemy and Adelina were dating. By the way, the former lover of the skater could not resist caustic comments on this matter and in one of the interviews noted that the girl found herself a richer boyfriend.
On the this moment Adeline tries to bypass the topic of her personal life and does not dedicate anyone to her details. This year, the girl posted a photo on one of the social networks, where followers saw a ring on her hand, very similar to an engagement ring. However, the skater herself preferred not to comment on the appearance of this decoration on her finger.
Adelina Dmitrievna Sotnikova. She was born on July 1, 1996 in Moscow. Russian figure skater. Olympic champion (2014). Master of Sports of Russia international class(2012). Honored Master of Sports of the Russian Federation (2014).
Father - Dmitry Sotnikov, a police officer, worked in the criminal investigation department.
Mother - Olga Dmitrievna Sotnikova, in her youth she was engaged in acrobatics, but due to an injury she was forced to leave the sport.
Great-grandfather - Alexander Vasilyevich Kochetov, Hero Soviet Union, fighter pilot, made 488 sorties, shot down 34 enemy aircraft.
The younger sister, Maria Sotnikova, suffers from Treacher-Collins syndrome (a rare hereditary, genetic disease; with Treacher-Collins syndrome, maxillofacial deformity occurs, which leads to strabismus, underdevelopment of the ears, chin, mouth and hearing impairment). Despite her diagnosis, Maria is an excellent dancer and takes part in various international performances, balls and competitions. Adeline and Maria have a very close and reverent relationship.
Maria - sister of Adelina Sotnikova
Adelina Sotnikova started skating at the age of 4 at the Yuzhny skating rink in Moscow, near her home. Her first coach was Anna Patrikeyeva.
When the girl was eight years old, she moved to CSKA.
In 2004, a coach began to work with her.
In 2008, Adelina won the Russian Championship. At the same time, Adelina repeated the achievement of her mentor Elena Vodorezova, who also became the champion of the USSR at the age of 12 (1976). The monetary reward of 10 thousand rubles received for the victory, as well as the money earned later on the ice, Adeline spent on the treatment of her younger sister.
Since childhood, she was called a figure skating prodigy: already at the age of 13, the athlete performed the most difficult cascades within the framework of one program.
But due to age restrictions, Adeline could not participate in tournaments. International Union skaters until the 2010-2011 season.
Adelina won her first international tournament, the stage of the 2010-2011 Junior Grand Prix series in Austria, beating her closest rival, American Christina Gao, by more than 10 points. Her score - 178.97 points - was only 0.27 less than the highest ever achieved by a singles skater in junior competitions (Mao Asada, World Junior Championships 2005). She won the Junior Grand Prix final, leading in both programs, and in the free program she performed the most difficult cascade of triple lutz - triple rittberger and all three rotations of the highest level 4.
At the end of December 2010, Sotnikova won the gold of the national championship for the second time, and in February 2011 she won her debut world championship among juniors, beating another Russian woman, Elizaveta Tuktamysheva.
In December 2011, Adelina won the "adult" international tournament for the first time - the Golden Skate of Zagreb, and later won her third national champion title.
In 2012, Sotnikova was included in the national team to participate in the I Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, where she won a silver medal.
During her debut at the European Championships in 2013, Adelina Sotnikova with a total of 193.99 points became the silver medalist, losing only to the reigning world champion Carolina Kostner, who scored 194.71 points. At the 2014 European Championships, she again became the silver medalist, losing only to her compatriot.
In 2013, Adeline graduated as an external student high school and entered the correspondence department of the Russian State University of Physical Culture as a coach in figure skating.
On October 3-4, 2014, Adelina took part in the theatrical online readings Karenina. Live Edition.
At the 2014 Olympics in Sochi Adelina did not participate in the team tournament, but in the short program of the main tournament (at Sotnikova she was called “Carmen” and, according to the athlete herself, she was very emotional and hot), she became the second, skipping ahead Kim Yong Ah by 0.28 points, and in the free program she became the first and won the Olympics. The total score for the sum of the short and free programs is 224.59. The significance of the gold medal received by Sotnikova is all the more high because before it, in the entire history of the Olympic Games, representatives of the USSR or Russia have never received the highest award in women's single skating.
Sotnikova performed a technically difficult free program(called "Rondo Capriccioso" and kept in a calm and romantic style) with an error in the combination, receiving high points for the rotation of the fourth level of difficulty and the advantage in the combination of double jumps. For identical jumps, but made in a simpler combination, her main rival from Korea received fewer points.
On February 24, 2014, the athlete was awarded the Order of Friendship - for her great contribution to the development physical culture and sports, high sports achievements in XXII Olympic winter games 2014 in the city of Sochi. In the same year, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation awarded her with the medal "For Strengthening the Combat Commonwealth" - for her great contribution to the development of physical culture and sports, high sports achievements at the XXII Olympic Winter Games in 2014. In addition, Sotnikova was awarded the title of Honored Master of Sports of Russia.
At the 2014 World Championships, Adelina could not compete due to a leg injury. Also, the skater was not able to take part in the Russian Championship and the European Championship 2015.
In February 2015, Adelina Sotnikova took part in the TV project "Dancing with the Stars" on the Russia-1 channel, paired with dancer Gleb Savchenko. The couple took 2nd place (losing to Irina Pegova and Andrei Kozlovsky), while winning the audience award.
From October 1 to December 24, 2016, she took part in the Ice Age 2016 show on Channel One in a pair with Alexander Sokolovsky, in which the couple won.
In April 2017, it became known that Adeline stopped working with Elena Buyanova. Became a new coach.
In May 2018, Adelina Sotnikova starred in the video "Champion", which aimed to support the players of the Russian national football team at the home world championship. Adelina said about filming in the video of Buzova: “I am very pleased that Olya invited me. We have known her for a year now. Olga is now well-known, she is pulling ahead, she does not stop, goes to her goal, and such people inspire me ... And when they contacted me and said that Olya recorded such a song and wants top athletes to appear in her video, I naturally said yes."
In December 2018, she starred in the video of the Turkish Choir men's group for the song "Snow", which she produced. A skating rink was chosen as the site, and the role of the main character was played by Adelina Sotnikova, dressed in a neon shimmering suit.
Adelina Sotnikova - Alone with everyone
The growth of Adelina Sotnikova: 163 centimeters.
Personal life of Adelina Sotnikova:
Adeline Sotnikova was credited with a relationship with figure skater Maxim Kovtun. The couple often posted group photos. There were even rumors about their wedding. But the skaters themselves said that they just had friendship.
Sotnikova also gave rise to speculation by posting on the Internet a photograph in which the famous football player Alexander Kerzhakov kisses her on the cheek. “Oh, this photo is not for the press, oh, not for the press! Such a surprise turned out with Kerzhakov, and, yes, we now have a new fan of figure skating! We are waiting for you at the show in Lausanne! Thank you Zurich!” Sotnikova signed the picture .
She was in a relationship with the host of the show "Magazzino" Alexander Molochko. The couple met in February 2016 on a joint shoot for a glossy magazine. However, their romance did not stand the test of publicity. Molochko explained: “Our relationship with Adeline, to my great regret, could not withstand the pressure of lies and negativity that has befallen us lately. In any case, I treat her very warmly and wish her all the best, hoping that when the passions around us subside, we can try to be together again.
Sports achivments Adeline Sotnikova:
Gold - Sochi 2014 - single skating
European Championships:
Silver - Zagreb 2013 - single skating
Silver - Budapest 2014 - single skating
Adelina Sotnikova was born in the summer of 1996. Is an Olympic champion in single skating, Russian figure skater. The girl even received the nickname "wunderkind" because of this type of performance she chose. After successful Olympics there were a number of unsuccessful starts. To date, the girl does not perform, there has also been no official statement about her retirement from her.
The childhood of the figure skater
The girl was born very small and weak, but every year she grew stronger and stronger. Already at the age of 4, in 2000, Adeline tried herself on ice for the first time. The girl was sent to sports school located in the area of Moscow - Biryulyovo. Anna Patrikeeva became the first coach of the girl. Just 3 years later, Adelina Sotnikova moved to the CSKA school. Irina Goncharenko became the second coach of the girl. From childhood, the athlete had a complaisant character. She never started arguing with her superiors.
The third coach of the girl was Elena Buyanova. A trusting relationship arose almost immediately between the pupil and the master.
First victories
Adeline was persistent and hardworking. Regular training and a great desire allowed the girl to win the Russian Championship in figure skating already in 2008. The pupil repeated the success of her leader Buyanova, who, like Sotnikova, won the title of winner at the age of 12. The girl devoted herself to training in order to achieve perfect shape and show more and more complex elements. The young conqueror of ice quickly began to master many "adult" techniques, she tried to bring them to perfection and automatism.
Unfortunately, after an enchanting performance in 2008, the next season the girl was able to win only 4th place in the Russian Championship. At the national championship, she went down to 6th place. The coach did not allow Sotnikova to give up, the training continued. Adeline complicated the program by repeating complex movements hundreds of times.
Already in 2010, Adeline is again understood on a pedestal. She earned first place in the Grand Prix, which was held in Austria. Young Adeline was 0.27 seconds short of the record. Also, Sotnikova again becomes the best in Russia - she wins gold at the national championship, as well as at the international youth figure skating championship.
Youth Olympic Games
The career of Adelina Sotnikova took off rapidly. In 2012, she won a silver medal at the Youth Winter Olympic Games held in Innsbruck. Then Adelina takes part in the "adult" international competitions for the first time. The girl takes second place at the European Championship in 2013. In 2014, she is second again. The first place was won by another Russian figure skater- Julia Lipnitskaya.
In February 2012, the young figure skater (she was 16 years old) received the title of International Master of Sports of Russia, and in the winter of 2014 she received the status of Honored Master of Sports.
Sochi Olympic Games
In 2014, Sochi hosted the Winter Olympic Games, where many Russian athletes. The success of domestic figure skaters did not bypass. Two outstanding athletes A. Sotnikova and Yu. Lipnitskaya also competed among juniors from Russia.
Adelina Sotnikova's performance in Sochi made a splash. She won gold medal in women's singles. The result of the athlete is 224.9 points. In the short program, the figure skater won a silver medal. South Korea disputed her victory, according to the Korean delegation, the refereeing was biased, the representative of their country, Yong Ah Kim, should have taken the highest step of the podium. However, the decision of the jury remained unchanged. The judges considered that Sotnikova's performance, filled with a large number of complex technical element deserves first place. The acting component of the performance was also appreciated.
Participation in TV projects
Having injured her leg in 2014, the skater was forced to refuse to compete in the championship of the same year. The girl was invited to participate in the TV project "Dancing with the Stars". Sotnikova agreed and, together with G. Savchenko, managed to take second place.
Two years later, Adelina Sotnikova was first invited to participate in the TV show on Channel 1 "Ice Age". Together with the owner Olympic medal actor Alexander Sokolovsky performed. Adelina Sotnikova, together with her partner, won first place in the TV project. Despite being the youngest among the participants in the program, their performance was brilliant.
Adelina Sotnikova: retired
In the spring of 2017, it became known that Adelina was leaving coach Elena Buyanova (Vodorezova), although it was she who led Sotnikova to victory in Sochi-2014. The girl went to train with Evgeni Plushenko. It is worth noting that after the Olympics there were several failed performances at domestic competitions. Sotnikova was overtaken in points by younger skaters: Evgenia Medvedeva, Maria Sotskova and others.
At the Russian Championship, held in Chelyabinsk at the end of 2016, E. Medvedeva confirmed her class, and the very young A. Zagitova became the second. The latter is the world champion among juniors, who today removes from the podium already those who pushed Lipnitskaya, as well as the heroine of our article.
The fact that Adelina Sotnikova misses one season after another was announced by her current coach Evgeni Plushenko. Will the skater return to the big ice and will she shine on international competitions- the question remains open. According to the outstanding coach Tatyana Tarasova, the game called "Sotnikova's return to the ice" has bothered many, and it's time for the girl to announce her retirement.
E. Plushenko's personal experience teaches that the story of the constant "return to big sport" can drag on.
Skater's personal life
At one time, journalists wrote headlines about Adelina's romance with her ice colleague M. Kovtun. Their common photos appeared on the pages of Maxim's social networks. This prompted journalists and figure skating fans to talk about the romantic relationship that allegedly exists between athletes. However, both Adelina and Maxim dispelled the rumors, saying that between them there are exceptionally friendly relations.
In the spring of 2016, Adelina Sotnikova and Alexander Molochko appeared together at the premiere of the film "Hero". Later, in an interview, the young man confirmed that they were really dating. But the couple's relationship quickly fizzled out. Already a month after the betrayal of the young man, Adeline decided to part with him.
Extreme events in the life of a skater
In January 2018, on her page on social networks, the figure skater posted her own photo, in which a wedding ring can be seen on her hand. However, journalists and fans of the athlete still do not know the exact information about whether Adelina Sotnikova is really getting married. The photo was taken in one of the restaurants in Moscow. Fans bombarded her with questions. The figure skater herself does not personally comment on the information about whether she is really getting married. Adelina Sotnikova often posts personal photos on social networks. To the critical statements of Tatyana Tarasova about the return of the Russian athlete to the ice, the girl posted a response to her Instagram profile - a video from training on ice, where the skater demonstrates excellent shape. Adelina Sotnikova in the photo could be seen more than once with her godson.
The heroine of our article is very close to her mother. The figure skater is sure that they have a wonderful family. Adeline's sister has serious health problems. To date, the girl has had three operations, which required considerable funds. Before Adeline's performance at the Olympics, Tatyana Tarasova was involved in the financial side of her sister's treatment, it was she who found sponsors who paid for medical services. After winning the Olympics in Sochi, Sotnikova herself took up the financing of her sister's therapy.
Social media
Sotnikova is an active user of the Instagram social network. The total number of photos posted by the figure skater exceeds 890. The total number of subscribers who daily “follow” the Olympic champion is over 320 thousand people.
However, it is worth noting that after October 2017, the skater has not published a single photo. In several interviews, the girl shared her morale with reporters. According to Adelina, today she has a desire to return to the ice, but so far the champion is neither physically nor mentally ready for this. The girl also shared her desire to go to study acting. Adelina admits that in the future she will work as a coach.
There are also a large number of profiles on social networks that are fan pages of a famous figure skater. Adelina's fans communicate with each other, share photos and videos from international competitions or the Olympics, where Sotnikova performed.