Sokolova Elena Sergeevna: the present female figure skating

The first half of the 2000s in Russian women's figure skating is a time of competition between two talented athletes. Great success was achieved by Irina Slutskaya. For her shoulders wins at world championships, awards at the Olympics. The career of Elena Sokolova was a series of ups and downs. Nevertheless, in her best years, she admired the fans and specialists with her truly feminine figure skating.

The beginning, the first successes and failures

One generation belongs to Irina Slutskaya and Elena Sokolova. The figure skater started her way in sports in 4 years. She was born in Moscow in 1980. Lena was brought to the ice rink by his father. The girl was ill with bronchitis, and the doctors recommended that her parents give her to engage in either skiing or figure skating.

The first coach of Sokolova was V. Tumanov. Subsequently, he was replaced by the family tandem of Marina and Victor Kudryavtsev. It was the last mentor who became the master in her life, all of Elena's achievements are connected with him.

Each championship in figure skating opens new names, reveals talented athletes. For Elena such a start was the junior championship of Russia in 1997, where she was second. Career athletes began to go up the hill. The next year she is in the Russian national team. As part of the national team skater goes to the Olympics in Nagano, which is in the top ten.

However, Sokolova Elena Sergeevna then begins to experience difficulties associated with the restructuring of the body and the transition from junior to adult level. The sports results of the figure skater are falling.

In 2000, trying to give a new impetus to his career, Sokolova moved to St. Petersburg and began to train for Yevgeny Mishin. This decision was not successful, two years later she returns to Viktor Kudryavtsev.

Golden period

Having found her own unique style, Elena Sokolova returns to the list of the strongest figure skaters of Russia and becomes known at the world level. The most successful in her career is in 2003. She bypasses at the Russian championship her eternal girlfriend-rival Irina Slutskaya and becomes the champion of the country. She is inferior to her at the European Championships this year, but beats the other rivals and takes silver medals.

Finally, at the World Championships, she shows an amazingly beautiful free program. Only the legendary American Michelle Hwan was able to get ahead of the talented Russian woman. So for one year all forgotten Sokolova Elena Sergeevna breaks into the number of the strongest.

Unfortunately, the medals at the 2003 championship were the last ones for the sportswoman at the world championships. After all, she then wins several times at national championships, takes medals at continental tournaments. Sokolov does not remain without awards and at numerous tournaments of the Grand Prix series.

The second Olympiad in her life was not very successful. By this time, a new generation of talented young figure skaters, capable of performing technical programs of incredible complexity, has grown up. Advantages in artistry, choreography is no longer enough. Sokolova's result is only 14th.

Otkatav in the tour of Ilya Averbukh in 2006, the figure skater soon leaves the big sport. After failures in the 2007 tournaments, she completes her career.

Problems with discipline

Like all talented athletes, Elena Sokolova was distinguished by a difficult character. Two years after working with coach Evgeni Plushenko Alexei Mishin, she scandals away from him. A well-known mentor told that conflicts with the sportsman arose because of numerous violations of the regime on her part. The very same Elena Sokolova explains her departure with a lack of attention to her.

By the end of her career, many experts noted that the figure skater had problems with being overweight, that she did not observe the sports regime to the proper degree. Hence the failure in major tournaments.

Coaching activities

Having finished an active career, Elena Sokolova did not part with the figure skating. Now she is engaged in coaching at the school of Irina Slutskaya. Under her sensitive guidance, more than twenty talented children are skating. The pupils are already beginning to please Elena with the first awards from various competitions.

The way Sokolova in the big sport was difficult. After the first successes followed a series of failures. However, she soon found herself and for several years pleased the fans with her inimitable feminine style. It is to be hoped that Elena will be able to achieve great results in coaching too.