Pairs Skater Yelena Berezhnaya
A Bitter-Sweet Figure Skating Story
Russian-born skating sweetheart is a three-time Olympian and an example of triumph through perseverance.
With a solid professional skating career performing with tours and shows, pairs ice skater Yelena Bereshnaya achieves great things in life and sport regardless of circumstances. Born in Nevinnomysk on October 11, 1977, Yelena began skating at age six. By the time she was thirteen, she was sent to Moscow to develop her obvious skating talent.
The Moscow school for figure skating was brimming at the time with extraordinarily competitive skaters, so Yelena’s coaches moved her and her partner, Oleg Shliakov, to Riga. By 1994, the pair was ready for their debut at the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer. They finished eighth at those winter games, but they made an impression on fans and judges.
The Abuse
Unfortunately, Shliakov was rumored to control and dominate the soft spoken Berezhnaya. The 5 foot tall and 92-pound skater enjoys knitting and ballet – and was no match for her massive partner.
It wasn’t until years later that Yelena finally admitted the extent of the abuse she suffered at Shliakov’s hand. The physical and emotional abuse was so bad that she wanted to quit skating. She nevertheless continued in the sport to fulfill her mother’s wishes. Skating fans all over the world are glad she did.
Whether or not the Latvian federation was aware of the abuse Yelena suffered, they recognized her talent and the potential in their team. In 1995, they were sent to train under Tamara Moskvina, considered to this day to be one of the greatest pairs coaches of all time.
Back while back in Russia, Yelena continued to endure Shliakov’s debasing rage. Soon, Yelena met her current partner, Anton Sikharulidze, who was at the time skating with Maria Petrova. When Shliakov found out about Yelena and Anton’s developing relationship, he insisted upon a return to their training facility in Riga.
The Accident
Other skaters, coaches and viewers at the rink observed Yelena shrinking under Shliakov’s constant domination, but none would get involved. The following year proved nearly deadly for Yelena. Shliakov had insisted the pair skate closer together during their side-by-side camel spins. Yelena obeyed but was in the head by his skate blade.
After two operations, Yelena was left hospitalized with brain damage that affected her ability to speak and walk. When Anton heard about the accident, he immediately went to be by Yelena’s side. He stuck by her through her rehabilitation and took her away from Shliakov once and for all.
Yelena and Anton developed an intimate relationship that gave her strength and the desire to relearn how to talk and skate. It only took a year before she began competing again under Moskvina’s expertise.
A New Team
The new team of Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze were considered the complete skating package. They were fast, artistic and synchronized. Under the pressures of the world stage, however, the pair had a disastrous long program at 1997 Worlds. They fell from third to ninth and worked hard to improve.
By the following season they won Europeans and went into Nagano as the favorites. Nerves got the best of them as they made numerous mistakes in both performances.
1st Judging Scandal
It was during those 1998 Olympics that judging discrepancies became openly blatant. Yelena and Anton were seemingly given credit for the trials they overcame. They were placed ahead of the obviously deserving world champs, Wotzel and Steuer. Yelena and Anton won the silver medal, but it was somewhat tarnished by the controversy.
The pair’s ability to connect with the audience forced their fans to ignore the Nagano scandal. Yelena and Anton continued to make mistakes in their programs, but their loveable personalities and heart-wrenching story made them the perennial favorites.
The pair was finally able to begin enjoying their skating and notoriety during ice tours. They had, after all, accomplished great things on the international stage – regardless of being the center of judging controversies.
A Big Move
In 1999, the team followed their coach to the USA. After settling in to a new routine in Hackensack, New Jersey, Yelena accidentally cut Anton’s arm with her blade while they were practicing for Skate Canada. He needed stitches, but the pair, as usual, persevered.
Doping Charges
During the 2000 season, neither their talent and pleasant personalities, nor their troubles overcome, could prepare them for the negative press they were to endure. In one of the first publicly known figure skating doping cases, Yelena tested positive for using unapproved drugs. Although she had naively used an over-the-counter cold medicine, her faux pas caused them to be disqualified from the European Championships. The winner that year was Anton’s former partner, Maria Petrova with Alexei Tikhonov.
2nd Judging Scandal
Their rivals, actually weren’t his former partner, though. Canadians Jamie Sale and David Pelletier traded off wins at major international competitions with Anton and Yelena the season leading up to the 2002 Olympics. In Salt Lake City, both pairs teams skated beautifully – despite a full-speed collision between Anton and Jamie in the warm up before the long program.
Audience members appreciated both clean programs in what was wrapping up to be a memorable night of incredible skating. Yet it was clear to the fans that Jamie and David had won the competition with their outstanding technique and emotional musicality. Even the Canadians knew they had skated into first place.
In what became the pinnacle of judging debacles, Anton and Yelena were awarded the top spot even though they had minor flaws. At first, skating officials defended the judges’ decision, but fans, coaches, and the IOC pressured the ISU to investigate the decision. It didn’t take long for television cameras to reveal judges talking to each other during and after skaters performed. Furthermore, the French judge confessed (and then recanted) that she was pressured into voting for the Russian team in exchange for the Russian judge’s vote for French ice dancers. In an attempt to preserve the integrity of the Olympics, officials awarded gold medals to the Canadians.
Catalyst for Change
During the entire ordeal, Anton and Yelena remained positive and professional. They were never personally involved in judging decisions, but they did receive negative fan mail because of it. The pair is considered co-champions with the Canadians as all four skaters hold Olympic gold medals from the Salt Lake City games.
The judging scandal was the final straw and the catalyst for a complete revamping of the ISU’s figure skating judging system. Yelena and Anton weren’t affected much by the new system because they turned pro. Now, audiences in Russia and Europe enjoy their incredible and innovative skating. (Russians also enjoy an occasional visit to Yelena’s new café: Axel.)
