Niina Petrõkina
Niina Petrõkina (born 14 August 2004) is an Estonian figure skater. She is the 2023 Skate America bronze medalist, a four-time ISU Challenger Series medalist, and a two-time Estonian national champion (2022, 2023).
| Niina Petrõkina | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Petrokina, Petrykina |
| Born | 14 August 2004 Tallinn, Estonia |
| Hometown | Tallinn |
| Height | 1.55 m (5 ft 1 in) |
| Figure skating career | |
| Country | Estonia |
| Coach | Svetlana Varnavskaja |
| Skating club | Cascade FSC |
| Began skating | 2008 |
Petrõkina has represented Estonia at the World Junior, European, and World championships, notably finishing ninth at the 2023 World Championships. She is the first Estonian skater to win a medal on the ISU Grand Prix.
Personal life edit
Petrõkina was born on 14 August 2004 in Tallinn, Estonia. She graduated from high school in 2023, with plans to begin studying for a coaching diploma, and eventual pursuit of university education.[1]
She is fluent in Russian and Estonian, and speaks a bit of English.[1]
Career edit
Early years edit
Petrõkina began learning how to skate in 2008 at the age of four. She began competing internationally for Estonia during the 2012–13 season at the Chicks level before competing as a basic and advanced novice. She made her international junior debut at the Haabersti Cup in October 2017.[2]
2018–19 season: Junior Grand Prix debut edit
Petrõkina made her Junior Grand Prix debut in November at the 2018 JGP Czech Republic, where she finished eleventh. She did not receive a second JGP assignment that season. She earned the bronze medals in the junior women's events at the 2018 Volvo Open Cup and 2018 Tallinn Trophy before placing fourth at the 2019 Estonian Championships. She later took the titles at four more junior internationals in the new year.[2]
2019–20 season edit
Petrõkina received two Junior Grand Prix assignments to open her season. Competing in Latvia, she placed sixth, and in Poland, tenth. She defended her junior title at the 2019 Tallinn Trophy and placed second at the 2019 Ice Star in the lead up to the 2020 Estonian Championships, where she won the silver medal behind Eva-Lotta Kiibus.[2]
In March 2020, Petrõkina competed at her first World Junior Championships, held at home in Tallinn. She failed to advance to the free skate, placing thirty-third.[3]
2020–21 season: Battle with anemia edit
Petrõkina missed the entirety of the pandemic-affected 2020–21 season due to what was initially reported as an unspecified illness.[3] She revealed in 2023 that she had been suffering from an uncertain illness for some time prior the 2020 World Junior Championships, and following her poor showing there she was diagnosed with "severe" aplastic anemia. Petrõkina required a bone marrow transplant, but could not find a suitable donor, and was hospitalized for five months while undergoing immunosuppression therapy. Initially advised that she would not be able to return to skating for two to three years, a prospect she considered tantamount to the end of her career and which caused "a little depression," she was ultimately able to resume training in advance of the following season.[1]
2021–22 season: Senior international debut edit
Petrõkina opened her season on the Junior Grand Prix at the second installment of the 2021 JGP France. She placed seventh at the event and followed that performance up with a fourth-place finish at the 2021 JGP Austria, a career-best placement for her on the Junior Grand Prix circuit.[2]
In November, Petrõkina made her senior international debut at her first Challenger series event, the 2021 CS Cup of Austria, where she won the bronze medal behind Japanese skater Wakaba Higuchi, and South Korea's Park Yeon-jeong. She also finished nearly forty points ahead of domestic rival and reigning Estonian champion Eva-Lotta Kiibus. She received a second Challenger assignment the following weekend, the 2021 CS Warsaw Cup, where she won the silver medal behind Russian competitor Maiia Khromykh and ahead of Ekaterina Kurakova of Poland. In December, Petrõkina won her first senior national title at the 2022 Estonian Championships over Kiibus. After winning her national title, Petrõkina competed at a third Challenger assignment, the 2021 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb. She placed fourth in the short program but advanced into bronze medal position by winning the free skate ahead of gold medalist Anastasiia Gubanova and silver medalist Amber Glenn.[2]
Due to Petrõkina's national results, she qualified as the top-seeded Estonian woman to one of two berths for her country at the 2022 European Championships in Tallinn. She finished eighth, also defeating Kiibus for a third time that season, but despite this, she was not named to the Estonian Olympic team due to the national federation's criteria for assigning the spot. Petrõkina expressed excitement at competing at the European championships alongside top athletes in the sport.[4] Notably, the event was held in the same arena as the 2020 World Junior Championships, where she had failed to qualify for the free skate.[3]
Shortly after the conclusion of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Russia invaded Ukraine. As a result, the International Skating Union banned all Russian athletes from competing at ISU championships.[5] As Russian women had dominated international figure skating in recent years, this had a significant impact on the field.[6] Petrõkina then made her World Championship debut, finishing sixteenth.[2] Due to both the invasion and the Omicron variant, the World Junior Championships could not be held as scheduled in Sofia in early March, and were rescheduled for mid-April in Tallinn, the third ISU championship held there in that year.[7] Petrõkina was sixth in the short program with a clean skate.[8] She struggled in the free skate, dropping to ninth overall.[9]
2022–23 season edit
Petrõkina began the new season at two Challenger events, with an eleventh-place finish at the 2022 CS Nebelhorn Trophy and a bronze medal at 2022 CS Budapest Trophy, the latter her third Challenger medal.[2] She was then invited to make her Grand Prix debut at the 2022 Skate Canada International, where she finished in sixth place.[10] She finished the Grand Prix by coming seventh at the 2022 NHK Trophy.[2]
After winning her second consecutive Estonian national title, Petrõkina competed at the 2023 European Championships in Espoo. She was seventh in the short program, though less than a point back of fifth.[11] She rose to sixth after the free skate, and cried "tears of relief" at the result.[12] Hers was the highest-ever placement for an Estonian woman at the European Championships.[13]
Petrõkina finished twelfth at the 2023 World Junior Championships.[2] She went on to place ninth at the 2023 World Championships in Saitama, achieving her "minimum goal" of a top ten ordinal that would secure a second Estonian women's berth the following year.[14]
2023–24 season edit
Petrõkina began the season at the 2023 CS Lombardia Trophy, coming seventh, before winning the bronze medal at the Shanghai Trophy.[2] She began the Grand Prix at the 2023 Skate America, where she finished fourth in the short program, 5.05 points back of third-place Isabeau Levito and 0.78 ahead of Mone Chiba in fifth.[15] In the free skate she was fourth as well, with a new personal best score of 129.53, and rose to third place overall, winning the bronze medal. This was the first Grand Prix medal for an Estonian skater in any discipline, of which she said she was "so proud."[16] Petrõkina came fourth at the 2023 Cup of China.[17]
Assigned to compete at the 2023 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb, Petrõkina broke her left fibula falling out of a jump in practice, and withdrew from the event.[18] As a result she was also unable to compete at the national championships later that month, or to potentially attend the European Championships that were to be held in neighbouring Kaunas, Lithuania. Petrõkina indicated that she hoped to be able to compete at the World Championships in March.[19]
Programs edit
| Season | Short program | Free skating | Exhibition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 [20][1] |
|
| |
| 2022–23 [21] |
|
| |
| 2021–22 [22] |
|
|
|
| 2020–21 | Did not compete this season | ||
| 2019–20 [23] |
|
| |
| 2018–19 [24] |
|
| |
Competitive highlights edit
GP: Grand Prix Series; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix.
| International[2] | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event | 14–15 | 15–16 | 16–17 | 17–18 | 18–19 | 19–20 | 20–21 | 21–22 | 22–23 | 23–24 | |
| Worlds | 16th | 9th | 16th | ||||||||
| Europeans | 7th | 6th | |||||||||
| GP Cup of China | 4th | ||||||||||
| GP NHK Trophy | 7th | ||||||||||
| GP Skate America | 3rd | ||||||||||
| GP Skate Canada | 6th | ||||||||||
| CS Budapest Trophy | 3rd | ||||||||||
| CS Cup of Austria | 3rd | ||||||||||
| CS Golden Spin | 3rd | WD | |||||||||
| CS Nebelhorn Trophy | 11th | ||||||||||
| CS Lombardia Trophy | 7th | ||||||||||
| CS Warsaw Cup | 2nd | ||||||||||
| Challenge Cup | 5th | ||||||||||
| Shanghai Trophy | 3rd | ||||||||||
| Tallink Hotels Cup | 1st | 4th | |||||||||
| International: Junior[2] | |||||||||||
| Junior Worlds | 33rd | 9th | 12th | ||||||||
| JGP Austria | 4th | ||||||||||
| JGP Czech Republic | 11th | ||||||||||
| JGP France II | 7th | ||||||||||
| JGP Latvia | 6th | ||||||||||
| JGP Poland | 10th | ||||||||||
| Ice Star | 2nd | ||||||||||
| Tallink Hotels Cup | 1st | 1st | 1st | ||||||||
| Tallinn Trophy | 3rd | 1st | |||||||||
| Volvo Open Cup | 3rd | ||||||||||
| International: Advanced Novice[2] | |||||||||||
| Denkova-Staviski Cup | 6th | ||||||||||
| Egna Trophy | 2nd | ||||||||||
| FBMA Trophy | 2nd | ||||||||||
| Skate Helena | 7th | ||||||||||
| Volvo Open | 16th | 4th | 1st | ||||||||
| National[2] | |||||||||||
| Estonian Champ. | 7th | 4th | 2nd | 1st | 1st | WD | |||||
| Estonian Junior | 4th B | 3rd B | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | ||||
| TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew Levels: B = Basic Novice | |||||||||||
Detailed results edit
| Segment | Type | Score | Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | TSS | 194.95 | 2023 Skate America |
| Short program | TSS | 68.00 | 2023 World Championships |
| TES | 37.19 | 2022 Junior Worlds | |
| PCS | 31.30 | 2023 World Championships | |
| Free skating | TSS | 129.53 | 2023 Skate America |
| TES | 69.69 | 2022 Europeans | |
| PCS | 63.97 | 2023 World Championships |
Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships. Personal bests highlighted in bold.
Senior results edit
| 2023–24 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 18–24, 2024 | 2024 World Championships | 7 66.23 | 18 110.30 | 16 176.53 |
| February 22-25, 2024 | 2024 Challenge Cup | 7 51.57 | 5 110.61 | 5 162.18 |
| February 15-18, 2024 | 2024 Tallink Hotels Cup | 3 59.27 | 4 108.55 | 4 167.82 |
| November 10–12, 2023 | 2023 Cup of China | 4 62.58 | 4 125.46 | 4 188.04 |
| October 20–22, 2023 | 2023 Skate America | 4 65.02 | 4 129.53 | 3 194.55 |
| October 3–5, 2023 | 2023 Shanghai Trophy | 3 60.93 | 2 131.08 | 3 192.01 |
| September 8–10, 2023 | 2023 CS Lombardia Trophy | 6 55.21 | 8 101.72 | 7 156.93 |
| 2022–2023 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 22–26, 2023 | 2023 World Championships | 6 68.00 | 12 125.49 | 9 193.49 |
| January 25–29, 2023 | 2023 European Championships | 7 61.05 | 6 122.69 | 6 183.74 |
| December 15–17, 2022 | 2023 Estonian Championships | 1 63.98 | 1 136.94 | 1 200.92 |
| November 18–20, 2022 | 2022 NHK Trophy | 8 58.81 | 6 121.48 | 7 180.29 |
| October 28–30, 2022 | 2022 Skate Canada International | 7 61.68 | 8 119.66 | 6 181.34 |
| October 13–16, 2022 | 2022 CS Budapest Trophy | 8 53.00 | 2 123.32 | 3 176.36 |
| September 21–24, 2022 | 2022 CS Nebelhorn Trophy | 13 47.34 | 5 104.66 | 11 152.00 |
| 2021–2022 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 21–27, 2022 | 2022 World Championships | 17 60.24 | 16 116.36 | 16 176.60 |
| January 10–16, 2022 | 2022 European Championships | 17 58.30 | 7 128.77 | 8 187.07 |
| December 9–11, 2021 | 2021 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb | 4 61.35 | 1 121.22 | 3 182.57 |
| December 4–5, 2021 | 2022 Estonian Championships | 1 70.07 | 1 141.76 | 1 211.83 |
| November 17–20, 2021 | 2021 CS Warsaw Cup | 3 64.92 | 3 123.94 | 2 188.86 |
| November 11–14, 2021 | 2021 CS Cup of Austria | 3 57.39 | 2 123.78 | 3 181.17 |
| 2019–2020 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| December 13–15, 2019 | 2020 Estonian Championships | 2 58.66 | 2 112.92 | 2 171.58 |
| 2018–2019 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| December 14–16, 2018 | 2019 Estonian Championships | 3 47.90 | 4 94.55 | 4 142.45 |
| 2017–2018 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| December 9–10, 2017 | 2018 Estonian Championships | 6 43.82 | 7 83.20 | 7 127.02 |
Junior results edit
| 2022–2023 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 27–March 5, 2023 | 2023 World Junior Championships | 15 55.67 | 12 111.81 | 12 167.48 |
| February 4–5, 2023 | 2023 Estonian Junior Championships | 1 65.49 | 1 124.15 | 1 189.64 |
| 2021–2022 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| April 13–17, 2022 | 2022 World Junior Championships | 6 65.90 | 10 107.59 | 9 173.49 |
| February 5–6, 2022 | 2022 Estonian Junior Championships | 1 61.86 | 1 120.27 | 1 182.13 |
| October 7–9, 2021 | 2021 JGP Austria | 6 58.97 | 4 118.09 | 4 177.06 |
| August 25–28, 2021 | 2021 JGP France II | 4 59.26 | 9 86.06 | 7 145.32 |
| 2019–2020 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 2–8, 2020 | 2020 World Junior Championships | 33 46.56 | - | 33 46.56 |
| February 13–16, 2020 | 2020 Tallink Hotels Cup | 1 60.71 | 1 113.71 | 1 174.42 |
| February 1–2, 2020 | 2020 Estonian Junior Championships | 1 61.17 | 1 120.91 | 1 182.08 |
| November 11–17, 2019 | 2019 Tallinn Trophy | 1 56.65 | 1 108.49 | 1 165.14 |
| October 14–17, 2019 | 2019 Ice Star | 2 56.62 | 3 110.79 | 2 167.41 |
| September 18–21, 2019 | 2019 JGP Poland | 9 56.60 | 10 100.30 | 10 156.90 |
| September 4–7, 2019 | 2019 JGP Latvia | 11 53.47 | 6 113.36 | 6 166.83 |
| 2018–2019 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| February 22–24, 2019 | 2019 Tallink Hotels Cup | 1 50.48 | 1 94.28 | 1 144.76 |
| January 5–6, 2019 | 2019 Estonian Junior Championships | 2 48.51 | 1 102.69 | 2 151.20 |
| November 25–December 1, 2018 | 2018 Tallinn Trophy | 7 40.54 | 3 84.65 | 3 125.19 |
| November 6–11, 2018 | 2018 Volvo Open Cup | 4 47.69 | 3 92.28 | 3 139.97 |
| September 26–29, 2018 | 2018 JGP Czech Republic | 12 48.91 | 9 92.80 | 11 141.71 |
| 2017–2018 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 15–18, 2018 | 2018 Tallink Hotels Cup | 1 52.54 | 1 97.19 | 1 149.73 |
| February 2–4, 2018 | 2018 Estonian Junior Championships | 3 44.86 | 2 86.86 | 3 130.92 |
References edit
- ^ a b c d Flade, Tatjana (July 24, 2023). "Near-fatal illness strengthens Estonia's Niina Petrokina". Golden Skate.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Competition Results: Niina Petrokina". International Skating Union.
- ^ a b c Lõbu, Grete (17 January 2022). "Levandi kiitis Petrõkinat: tema armastus uisutamise vastu on nii suur" (in Estonian). Eesti Rahvusringhääling.
- ^ Säärits, Anu (16 January 2022). "Petrõkina: emotsioonid on nii kõrgel, et ma ei saa neid isegi püüda" (in Estonian). Eesti Rahvusringhääling.
- ^ "ISU Statement on the Ukrainian crisis – Participation in international competitions of Skaters and Officials from Russia and Belarus". International Skating Union. March 1, 2022.
- ^ "2022 World Junior Championships". International Figure Skating.
- ^ "ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2022 allotted to Tallinn (EST)". International Skating Union. March 4, 2022.
- ^ Slater, Paula (April 16, 2022). "USA's Isabeau Levito leads Women at Junior Worlds". Golden Skate.
- ^ Slater, Paula (April 17, 2022). "USA's Isabeau Levito skates to gold in Tallinn". Golden Skate.
- ^ Slater, Paula (October 29, 2022). "Watanabe rebounds to gold at Skate Canada". Golden Skate.
- ^ Slater, Paula (January 26, 2023). "Anastasiia Gubanova leads women at Europeans". Golden Skate.
- ^ Slater, Paula (January 28, 2023). "Anastasiia Gubanova wins historic gold at 2023 Europeans". Golden Skate.
- ^ Süvari, Aet (January 28, 2023). "Petrõkina treener: kava polnud ideaalne, aga Niina võitles lõpuni" [Petrõkina's coach: the program was not ideal, but Niina fought until the end] (in Estonian). Eesti Rahvusringhääling.
- ^ Slater, Paula (March 24, 2023). "Kaori Sakamoto defends World title". Golden Skate.
- ^ "Loena Hendrickx (BEL) rules Women's Short Program at Skate America". International Skating Union. October 22, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
- ^ Slater, Paula (October 23, 2023). "Belgium's Hendrickx clear winner at Skate America". Golden Skate. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
- ^ Slater, Paula (November 11, 2023). "Hana Yoshida captures first Grand Prix gold at Cup of China". Golden Skate. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ Säarits, Anu (December 12, 2023). "Pindluu murdnud Petrõkina: kukkusin väga halvasti jala peale" [Petrõkina with a broken fibula: I fell very badly on my leg] (in Estonian). Eesti Rahvusringhääling. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
- ^ Säarits, Anu (December 16, 2023). "Kipsis jalaga Petrõkina loodab märtsis MM-il osaleda: teen kõike, mida saan" [Petrõkina, with a cast leg, hopes to participate in the World Championship in March: I will do everything I can] (in Estonian). Eesti Rahvusringhääling. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
- ^ . International Skating Union. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023.
- ^ . International Skating Union. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022.
- ^ . International Skating Union. Archived from the original on March 2, 2022.
- ^ . International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 29, 2020.
- ^ . International Skating Union. Archived from the original on November 24, 2018.
- ^ "EST-Niina Petrõkina". SkatingScores.
External links edit
- Niina Petrokina at the International Skating Union