Adelina Dmitriyevna Sotnikova (Russian: Адели́на Дми́триевна Со́тникова [ɐdʲɪˈlʲinə ˈsotʲnʲɪkəvə]; born 1 July 1996) is a Russian figure skater. She is the 2014 Olympic champion, a two-time European silver medalist (2013–2014), a five-time medalist on the Grand Prix series, and a four-time Russian national champion (2009, 2011–2012, 2014). On the junior level, she is the 2011 World Junior champion, 2010 JGP Final champion, and 2012 Youth Olympics silver medalist. She is the first Russian to win the Olympic gold medal in ladies' singles figure skating.

Adelina Sotnikova began skating at the age of four at the Yuzhny ice rink near her home in Moscow. Taught by Anna Patrikeeva until the age of seven, she then began training at CSKA which is further away from her home. She began working with coach Elena Buianova (Vodorezova) a year later.

During the 2008–2009 season, Sotnikova debuted at the senior level at the 2009 Russian Nationals and won the gold medal at the age of 12. One month later she also won the 2009 Russian Junior Championships.

Sotnikova was ineligible to compete on the Junior Grand Prix circuit during the 2009–2010 season because International Skating Union rules require that skaters turn 13 before 1 July in their place of birth – she was born a few hours into 1 July in Moscow. Sotnikova's mother told her that she was born a month prematurely anyway. She struggled with a growth spurt and dropped to fourth at Russian senior nationals and sixth in the junior event.

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