Olga Markova (figure skater)

Olga Dmitriyevna Markova (Russian: Ольга Дмитриевна Маркова; born 22 January 1974)^[1] is a Russian former competitive figure skater who currently works as a coach, choreographer, and technical specialist. She is a two-time European medalist (bronze in 1994 and silver in 1995), and the 1994 Russian national champion.

Olga Markova
Markova in 1993
Full name	Olga Dmitriyevna Markova
Native name	Ольга Дмитриевна Маркова
Born	(1974-01-22) 22 January 1974 (age 51) Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height	1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Figure skating career
Country	Russia
Skating club	CSKA
Retired	1998
Medal record Figure skating: Ladies' singles Representing  Russia European Championships 1995 Dortmund Singles 1994 Copenhagen Singles Russian Championships 1994 Saint Petersburg Singles 1995 Moscow Singles 1997 Moscow Singles 1996 Samara Singles

Career

Markova drew attention for her avant garde style and choreography.^{[citation needed]} For example, her free skating program at Skate Canada in 1993, which she choreographed, emphasized the angular, straight-lined, and twisting shapes she made with her body, especially her long, thin arms and legs. Her costume was a streamlined solid-black dress and tights and produced a futuristic image consistent with the electronic music. Figure skating writer and historian Ellyn Kestnbaum called Markova's free skating program "an abstract program, focused on stark geometric shapes and direct movement qualities rather than on the classical moves or flowiness associated with traditional femininity".^[2] She came in third place overall at Skate Canada.

Her highest placement at the World Figure Skating Championships was fifth, which she achieved in 1995. That year she was second after the short program, ahead of the eventual gold and silver medalists Lu Chen and Surya Bonaly. Her inability to land a clean triple lutz in the long program dropped her off the podium.

In 1998 Markova turned professional and won a silver medal at the World Professional Figure Skating Championships in Jaca, Spain. She has coached and choreographed for Kristina Oblasova and currently coaches Adrian Alvarado. She is an ISU technical specialist for Russia.^[3]

Programs

Season	Short program	Free skating
1994–95	Harlem Nocturne by Earle Hagen	Miss Saigon by Claude-Michel Schönberg
1993–94		Space Opera by Didier Marouani

Results

GP: Champions Series (Grand Prix)

International
Event	90–91	91–92	92–93	93–94	94–95	95–96	96–97	97–98
Worlds				10th	5th		12th
Europeans			12th	3rd	2nd	11th	8th
GP Final						6th	5th
GP Skate Canada						4th		6th
GP Cup of Russia							3rd	2nd
GP NHK Trophy						3rd
GP Nations Cup							4th
Inter. de Paris			4th
Nebelhorn Trophy							2nd
NHK Trophy			7th		5th
Schäfer Memorial				3rd
Skate America	7th
Skate Canada				2nd
National[4]
Russian Champ.			4th	1st	2nd	3rd	2nd	9th
Soviet Champ.		4th