Vladimir Kovalev
Encyclopedia
Vladimir Nikolaevich Kovalev (born 2 February 1953) is a retired figure skater
who competed internationally for the USSR
. He is an Olympic silver medalist and 2-time World champion. He trained at VSS Trud in Moscow
. Kovalev is pronounced, "ko-va-lyov."
at the 1976 Winter Olympics
. However, Kovalev's short and free programs were filled with mistakes and the audience was displeased when the results were announced that he had placed ahead of such skaters as Toller Cranston
and Jan Hoffmann
. Kovalev went on to win the gold at the World Championships
in 1977 and 1979, and he was also the winner of the European Championships
in 1975.
While Kovalev entered the 1980 season as a top contender for the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics
title, he was clearly poorly trained, overweight and uninspired. As a result, his jumps had become too inconsistent. For example, weeks prior to the Olympics, Kovalev had placed 3rd at the 1980 European Championships with poor short and free programs, far behind his chief rivals, Robin Cousins
and Jan Hoffmann
. Once in Lake Placid
, skating officials and news reporters took note of the fact that Kovalev, perhaps unmotivated and skeptical of his chances, missed most of the practice sessions. When he did show up, he was even unable to complete basic jumps. After observing his practices, an American reporter asked Kovalev at the pre-competition press conference, "Aside from the fact that you are the best-looking male skater in the competition, do you think you have what it takes to win here?", Kovalev burst out of the conference, never to be seen in public again as a competitor. The Soviet officials soon withdrew him from the competition after placing 5th in compulsory figures. Kovalev retired from competitive skating, and began his career as a skating coach.
Kovalev, along with his chief student, Kira Ivanova
, were both considered high risks for defecting to the West. Kovalev also coached Natalia Lebedeva
and Maria Butyrskaya
, when her first coach, Sergei Volkov
, died of cancer.
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
who competed internationally for the USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. He is an Olympic silver medalist and 2-time World champion. He trained at VSS Trud in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. Kovalev is pronounced, "ko-va-lyov."
Career
Kovalev placed second behind his British rival John CurryJohn Curry
John Anthony Curry, OBE was a British figure skater. He was the 1976 Olympic and World Champion. He was famous for combining ballet and modern dance influences into his skating.-Early life:...
at the 1976 Winter Olympics
1976 Winter Olympics
The 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 4–15, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria...
. However, Kovalev's short and free programs were filled with mistakes and the audience was displeased when the results were announced that he had placed ahead of such skaters as Toller Cranston
Toller Cranston
Toller Shalitoe Montague Cranston, CM is a Canadian figure skater and painter. He is the 1971-1976 Canadian national champion, the 1974 World bronze medalist, and the 1976 Olympic bronze medalist....
and Jan Hoffmann
Jan Hoffmann
Jan Hoffmann is a German figure skater who represented East Germany in competition. A four-time Olympian, he is the 1980 Olympic silver medalist, the 1974 & 1980 World Champion, and a four-time European Champion.He was one of a handful of figure skaters who rotated clockwise, landing on his left...
. Kovalev went on to win the gold at the World Championships
World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
in 1977 and 1979, and he was also the winner of the European Championships
European Figure Skating Championships
The European Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition in which figure skaters compete for the title of European Champion...
in 1975.
While Kovalev entered the 1980 season as a top contender for the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
title, he was clearly poorly trained, overweight and uninspired. As a result, his jumps had become too inconsistent. For example, weeks prior to the Olympics, Kovalev had placed 3rd at the 1980 European Championships with poor short and free programs, far behind his chief rivals, Robin Cousins
Robin Cousins
Robert "Robin" Cousins is a British retired competitive figure skater. He is the 1980 Olympic Champion, the 1980 European champion, a three-time World medalist and four-time British national champion. He later starred in ice shows and also produced his own...
and Jan Hoffmann
Jan Hoffmann
Jan Hoffmann is a German figure skater who represented East Germany in competition. A four-time Olympian, he is the 1980 Olympic silver medalist, the 1974 & 1980 World Champion, and a four-time European Champion.He was one of a handful of figure skaters who rotated clockwise, landing on his left...
. Once in Lake Placid
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
, skating officials and news reporters took note of the fact that Kovalev, perhaps unmotivated and skeptical of his chances, missed most of the practice sessions. When he did show up, he was even unable to complete basic jumps. After observing his practices, an American reporter asked Kovalev at the pre-competition press conference, "Aside from the fact that you are the best-looking male skater in the competition, do you think you have what it takes to win here?", Kovalev burst out of the conference, never to be seen in public again as a competitor. The Soviet officials soon withdrew him from the competition after placing 5th in compulsory figures. Kovalev retired from competitive skating, and began his career as a skating coach.
Kovalev, along with his chief student, Kira Ivanova
Kira Ivanova
Kira Valentinovna Ivanova was a figure skater from the former Soviet Union whose senior international career ran from 1979 to 1988...
, were both considered high risks for defecting to the West. Kovalev also coached Natalia Lebedeva
Natalia Lebedeva
Natalia Borisovna Lebedeva is a figure skater who competed for the Soviet Union. She is the 1989 and 1990 European silver medalist.-Results:-Navigation:...
and Maria Butyrskaya
Maria Butyrskaya
Maria Viktorovna Butyrskaya is a Russian figure skater. She is the 1999 World champion, becoming the oldest woman to win that title and the first Russian woman to become a World champion. She is a three-time European champion and in 2002, at age 29, became the oldest woman to win that title. She...
, when her first coach, Sergei Volkov
Sergey Nikolayevich Volkov
Sergey Nikolayevich Volkov was a Soviet figure skater and an Honored Sports Master who he debuted in 1968 European Championship and won the 12th place....
, died of cancer.
Results
| Event | 1969-70 | 1970-71 | 1971-72 | 1972-73 | 1973-74 | 1974-75 | 1975-76 | 1976-77 | 1977-78 | 1978-79 | 1979-80 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympics Winter Olympic Games The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating... |
8th | 2nd | WD | ||||||||
| World Championships World Figure Skating Championships The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion... |
3rd | 4th | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 4th | 1st | ||||
| European Championships European Figure Skating Championships The European Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition in which figure skaters compete for the title of European Champion... |
6th | 4th | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 3rd | |||
| Soviet Championships Soviet Figure Skating Championships The Soviet Figure Skating Championships were a figure skating national championship held annually to determine the national champions of the Soviet Union... |
5th | 4th | 1st | 3rd | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | ||||
| Prize of Moscow News Prize of Moscow News The Prize of Moscow News , also known as the Moscow Skate, Nouvelles de Moscou, and the Moscow News Trophy, was an international, senior-level figure skating competition held in the former Soviet Union from 1966 to 1990... |
2nd | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |