Profile: Oksana Baiul

[Mao88]

A profile of Oksana Baiul.

Baiul was born in the Ukrainian factory town of Dnepropetrovsk on the 16th November 1977 (then part of the Soviet Union). She was just two years old when her parents separated. For her fourth birthday, her grandfather gave her a pair of skates. Within three years she began skating in local competitions. Her childhood idol was Jill Trenary. In 1990, She finished 12th in the Soviet championships and finished 10th in the same championships the following year. In 1991, Baiul competed in the Nations Cup finishing fourth in a competition won by Nancy Kerrigan. At the age of thirteen, however, Baiul's mother, Marina, died of ovarian cancer, and her grandmother died shortly afterwards. Baiul then lived with her coach, Stanislav Koretek, and his family until Koretek emigrated to Canada in 1992. Alone, Baiul was left with no option but to sleep in a cot at her hometown ice rink. It was then that fellow Ukrainian skater, Viktor Petrenko, suggested that Baiul train with his coach (and mother-in-law), Galina Zmievskaya. Shortly thereafter, Baiul moved into Zmievskaya's home in Odessa, sharing a small bedroom with one of Zmievskaya's daughters in a crowded 3 room apartment.[SUP]1[/SUP]

Due to the personal upheavals in her life, it would be almost 18 months before Baiul would surface again in international competition following her fourth placed finished in the 1991 Nations Cup (which meant that she did not therefore get to compete in any international junior competitions). Nevertheless, upon her return, she won the Ukrainian Championships in early 1993 and then made a sensational impact at the 1993 European championships where she finished 2nd to Surya Bonaly:-

European Championships 1993 - Short Program

European Championships 1993 - Free Skate

Baiul followed this up 2 months later by winning the 1993 World Championships in equally sensational style:-

World Championships 1993 - Short Program

World Championships 1993 - Free Skate

World Championships 1993 - Gala

The 1993/94 season began for Baiul with a win at Skate America:-

1993 Skate America - Short Program

1993 Skate America - Free Skate

1993 Skate America - Exhibition

Baiul then finished 2nd in the Nations Cup

1993 Nations Cup - Short Program

1993 Nations Cup - Free Skate

1994 began with victory again in the Ukrainian Championships and another 2nd placed finish in the European Championships, again behind Surya Bonaly:-

European Championships 1994 - Short Program

European Championships 1994 - Free Skate

European Championships 1994 - Gala - Pairs Performance with Petrenko

Baiul's amateur competitive career reached its zenith shortly afterwards when she won Gold at the 1994 Olympics:-

1994 Olympics - Short Program

1994 Olympics - Free Skate

1994 Olympics - Exhibition - The Swan

1994 Olympics - Exhibition - Pairs Performance with Petrenko

Baiul retired from amateur competition after the 1994 Olympics and turned professional. Here are a few of her professional performances:-

The Swan - 1994 Skate of Gold

"Sadness" by Enigma - 1995 Fox Rock & Roll Championships

"Meditation" - 1995

Arabian - Champions on Ice 1995

1995 Hershey Challenge Exhibition

As Dorothy in Wizard of Oz on Ice 1996 (Over The Rainbow)

All That Jazz - 1997

1998 World Pro

Baiul continues to skate right up to the present day:-

Swan Lake 2011

Asian Program - 2011



[SUB]1. Bibliography re Background Info/Assembled from/And with thanks to - Wikipedia, Oksana Baiul - Then & Now, Official Website, Oksana Baiul - Ice Princess, and Goldenskate Interview[/SUB]

 

[prettykeys]

This is my biography on Oksana Baiul.

Baiul was born in the Ukrainian factory town of Dnepropetrovsk on the 16th November 1977 (then part of the Soviet Union). She was just two years old when her parents separated. For her fourth birthday, her grandfather gave her a pair of skates. Within three years she began skating in local competitions. Her childhood idol was Jill Trenary. In 1990, She finished 12th in the Soviet championships and finished 10th in the same championships the following year. In 1991, Baiul competed in the Nations Cup finishing fourth in a competition won by Nancy Kerrigan. At the age of thirteen, however, Baiul's mother, Marina, died of ovarian cancer, and her grandmother died shortly afterwards. Baiul then lived with her coach, Stanislav Koretek, and his family until Koretek emigrated to Canada in 1992. Alone, Baiul was left with no option but to sleep in a cot at her hometown ice rink. It was then that fellow Ukrainian skater, Viktor Petrenko, suggested that Baiul train with his coach (and mother-in-law), Galina Zmievskaya. Shortly thereafter, Baiul moved into Zmievskaya's home in Odessa, sharing a small bedroom with one of Zmievskaya's daughters in a crowded 3 room apartment.

Are you the same author as the one at the bottom of this page? http://viewzone2.com/oksana.html

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Is there any footage anywhere of her 1991 Nations Cup performance?

 

[dorispulaski]

Are you the same author as the one at the bottom of this page? http://viewzone2.com/oksana.html

Wikipedia appears to have inspired both authors. check out the footnote.

There is no evidence that there are any videos from Nations Cup 1991, either from Oksana or anyone else. There are none on Youtube. Oksana finished 4th.

 

[dorispulaski]

There is a tiny number one after the first paragraph which leads to the following footnote:

1. Bibliography re Background Info/Assembled from/And with thanks to - Wikipedia, Oksana Baiul - Then & Now, Official Website, Oksana Baiul - Ice Princess, and Goldenskate Interview

 

[dorispulaski]

Ahh. I looked after you asked too.

And with Wikipedia one never knows. It could be whomever writes Oksana's official website managing her wiki..
many public figures do that.

 

[ladybug]

Where is she skating now?