It often happens that athletes, having revealed themselves early at a young age, then stop in their development and very quickly disappear from the memory of their fans. The career of the famous skater Elena Sokolova developed in a completely different way. Having achieved first successes, she stopped progressing and, without really winning anything, went nowhere.
Even when everyone forgot about her, overcoming the problems of adulthood, she turned into a high-class athlete, able to win everything in a row. However, problems with discipline and character became the reason for the soon completion of the performances of one of the most emotional and feminine representatives of Russian figure skating.
The beginning of the way
Sokolova Elena was a contemporary of the famous Irina Slutskaya, but spent most of her career in the shadow of her famous girlfriend. Born in 1980, she began figure skating at the age of four. The first mentor of the girl was V. Tumanov. From childhood, Elena was distinguished by a obstinate character and, in the end, goes on to the tandem of Marina and Viktor Kudryavtsev. Sokolova is rapidly progressing, the first victories in competitions appear. In the 1996-1997 season, she becomes the silver medalist of the Junior World Cup.
The first successes and the black stripe after the coaching leapfrog
In 1998, Elena Sokolova, a figure skater, whose photos are already appearing in leading sports publications. She has won the championship of Russia, a successful debut at the world championship. Young talent is included in the national team for participation in the Olympics in Nagano, where she takes seventh place. After a successful start, everyone expects progress from a talented skater.
However, then there comes a decline in Elena’s career. Disagreements begin with her coach V. Kudryavtsev.
At the 1999 Russian Championship, she does not fall into the number of winners. According to Sokolova, the mentor does not pay enough attention to her, giving preference to
Victoria Volchkova, whom he raised from childhood. Clarification of the relationship ends with the fact that in 2000 she transferred to Alexei Mishin and moved to St. Petersburg. In these years, she does not succeed, she does not fall into the number of winners of the national championship and does not pass the selection for the largest international tournaments.
Silly injuries are added to sports failures. On one of her trips, she suffers serious damage due to the fall of a suitcase with skates.
Having moved to St. Petersburg, Elena Sokolova cannot establish a dialogue with Alexei Mishin. Again, according to the figure skater, the coach does not devote enough time and attention to her, depriving her in favor of her pupil Evgeni Plushenko. In response, Mishin claims numerous problems related to discipline and adherence to the athlete.
Second wind
Two years after moving to St. Petersburg, Sokolova, Elena returns to former mentor Viktor Kudryavtsev. The “nasty girl” of figure skating, having matured, takes up the mind and unexpectedly for everyone again declares itself. The 2002-2003 season was the most successful of her career.
She wins the Russian championship and after a long break is again selected for the world and European championships. At these competitions, Elena does not slow down. At the World Championships in Washington, she is second only to the mistress of the tournament - the legendary Michelle Hwan. Again she gets silver at the European Championships, losing to Irina Slutskaya, whose figure skater has already won the Russian championship.
Over the next three years, Sokolova Elena continues a series of successful performances, winning the championships of Russia, successfully skating at international tournaments. All experts note the truly elegant feminine style of the athlete, who successfully overcame the growth problems of young skaters, who, having lost girl’s flexibility, then could not go to a new level and find themselves at an adult level.
Sunset career
When Irina Slutskaya left sports, everyone expected that Sokolova Elena would take the place of the leader of the Russian team. The skater, however, was already exhausted by many years of training. By 2006, she was losing her form, more and more wasting time on performances in various ice shows. Many experts note her disarray, weight problems.
Disagreements begin again with Viktor Tumanov. In the end, Elena Sokolova leaves him and trains on her own. In the 2006-2007 season, the athlete pays less and less time to sports, speaking in the ice shows of Ilya Averbukh.
Thus ends the great sports career of the 2003 vice world champion.
Elena Sokolova’s career consisted of a series of ups and downs, her numerous disputes and scandals with coaches reflected on sports results. Nevertheless, she will forever remain in the hearts of figure skating lovers as one of the most emotional and expressive athletes.