Alena Leonova

Alena Leonova
Leonova at the 2011 Grand Prix Final.
Personal information
Full name	Alena Igorevna Leonova
Country represented	Russia
Born	(1990-11-23) 23 November 1990 (age 21) Leningrad, Soviet Union
Height	1.59 m (5 ft 2 1⁄2 in)
Coach	Nikolai Morozov Alla Piatova
Former coach	Marina Vakhrameeva
Choreographer	Svetlana Korol Pasquale Camerlengo
Skating club	Figure Skating Academy
Current training locations	Novogorsk[1]
Began skating	1993
World standing	3 (As of 29 April 2012 (2012 -04-29)[update])[2]
Season's bests	6 (2011–2012)[3] 6 (2010–2011)[4] 11 (2009–2010)[5] 11 (2008–2009)[6]
ISU personal best scores
Combined total	184.28 2012 Worlds
Short program	64.61 2012 Worlds
Free skate	124.17 2011 Worlds
Medal record Competitor for  Russia Ladies Figure skating World Championships Silver 2012 Nice Ladies singles Grand Prix Final Bronze 2011–2012 Quebec Ladies singles Russian Championships Bronze 2012 Saransk Ladies singles Silver 2011 Saransk Ladies singles Silver 2010 St. Petersburg Ladies singles World Junior Championships Gold 2009 Sofia Ladies singles

Alena Igorevna Leonova (Russian: Алёна Игоревна Леонова, born 23 November 1990) is a Russian figure skater. She is the 2012 World silver medalist, the 2011 Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, the 2009 World Junior champion, two-time (2010–2011) Russian national silver medalist and the 2012 Russian national bronze medalist.

Career

Leonova was born in Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union. She started skating at the age of 4.^[7] Her sister and brother also skated when they were young.^[8] Leonova was initially coached by Marina Vakhrameeva and later moved to the group of Tatiana Mishina, who was assisted by Alla Piatova; Piatova formed her own group and became Leonova's main coach when she was 10.^[7]

In her Junior career, Leonova was the two-time Coupe de Nice gold medalist and won silver at the 2007 Junior Grand Prix Romania, Leonova also won the silver medal at the 2008 Russian Junior Championships. In August 2008, she partially tore ligaments in her right ankle joint.^[8] She placed 4th at the 2009 European Championships. Leonova was then placed on the team to the 2009 World Junior Championships and won the World Junior title.^[8] After her win, the Russian Federation rented an apartment for her.^{[citation needed]}

2009–2010 season

Leonova won the bronze medal at the 2009 Cup of Russia and silver at the 2009 NHK Trophy to qualify her for the Grand Prix Final where she finished 6th. Leonova then competed and won the silver medal at the 2010 Russian Championships. She finished 13th at the 2010 World Championships and earned one of Russia's two ladies' entries for the 2010 Winter Olympics. She placed 9th at the Olympics.

2010–2011 season

Leonova started her season by competing at the 2010 Coupe de Nice and won the gold medal, she won a pair of bronze medals at the 2010 Finlandia Trophy and 2010 Cup of China. She won another silver medal at the 2011 Russian Championships. Leonova then competed and finished fourth at the 2011 World Championships.^[9] Following the event, she began working full-time with Nikolai Morozov in Moscow.^[10][11][12]

2011–2012 season

Leonova with her coaches Nikolai Morozov (right) and Alla Piatova (left)

She decided to compete in three Grand Prix events in the 2011–12 season.^[10] She was fourth at 2011 Skate Canada and then won bronze at 2011 NHK Trophy and silver at 2011 Cup of Russia to qualify for her second Grand Prix Final. At the Grand Prix Final event, she won the bronze medal.

Leonova won the bronze medal at the 2012 Russian Championships. At the 2012 European Championships she finished 7th and sustained an injury to her left knee during the free skate.^[13] Leonova placed first in the short program at the 2012 World Championships on her way to her first World medal, a silver.^[14][1] Her podium finish was Russia's first in ladies' singles since 2005 when Irina Slutskaya won the title.^[15] Leonova was named Russia's team captain at the 2012 World Team Trophy. Competing with a cold, she finished 7th in the ladies' event.^[16]

2012–2013 season

Leonova has been assigned to Skate America and the Rostelecom Cup for the 2012–2013 season.

Programs

Leonova at the 2012 World Championships

Competitive highlights

Leonova at the 2011 Cup of Russia

Detailed results

Leonova at the 2012 World Team Trophy

Leonova at the 2011 European Championships

Leonova at the 2009 Junior World Championships

References

External links

• Official Site
• Alena Leonova at the International Skating Union
• "Alena Leonova". IceNetwork.com. http://web.icenetwork.com/skaters/detail.jsp?id=100786&mode=I. 
• Alena Leonova's Profile and Photos

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