*** Welcome to piglix ***

Maia Usova

Maya Usova
UsovaZhulin 2.jpg
Usova/Zhulin at a 1989 exhibition in West Berlin.
Personal information
Full name Maya Valentinovna Usova
Alternative names Maia Usova
Country represented Russia
Former country(ies) represented Unified Team
Soviet Union
Born (1964-05-22) 22 May 1964 (age 52)
Gorky, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Former partner Alexander Zhulin
Evgeni Platov
Alexei Batalov
Former coach Natalia Dubova
Former choreographer Giuseppe Arena
Skating club Profsoyuz Moskva / Sportsclub Moskva
Retired 1994

Maya Valentinovna Usova (Russian: Майя Валентиновна Усова, born 22 May 1964) is a Russian former ice dancer. With Alexander Zhulin, she is a two-time Olympic medalist (1994 silver, 1992 bronze), the 1993 World champion, and the 1993 European champion. They also won gold medals at Skate America, NHK Trophy, Nations Cup, and Winter Universiade. They represented the Soviet Union, the Unified Team, and Russia.

Maya Usova initially competed with Alexei Batalov. At the age of nine, she moved from Gorky to Moscow to train with coach Natalia Dubova. Dubova paired her with Alexander Zhulin in 1980. In 1988, they made their first appearance at the European Championships, placing fourth. The next season, they won silver at the 1989 European Championships in Birmingham, England and silver in their World Championships debut, in Paris. The next two seasons, they took bronze at Worlds.

In the 1991–92 season, Usova/Zhulin won silver at the 1992 European Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland and then captured their first Olympic medal, bronze, at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. Usova/Zhulin ended their season with silver at the 1992 World Championships in Oakland, California. They moved with Dubova from Moscow to Lake Placid, New York in September 1992.


...
Wikipedia

...