Greatest Skater(s) To Win Junior Worlds, Senior Worlds, And The Olympic Title

[Maofan7]

Winning junior worlds and then going on to win both senior worlds and the Olympic title is extremely difficult, and the statistics certainly bear this out, as only 12 individuals/couples have achieved the hat-trick in the 4 disciplines. The transition between juniors and seniors is one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome, and a significant proportion of skaters fail to come through it in competitive terms, with many losing the jumping ability that earned them junior success. Growth spurts and body changes can be harsh, cruel, and something of a lottery. Often, if the skater is part of a pair in pairs or ice dance, the transition necessitates a change of partner. Nevertheless, if a skater can come through that phase, even then success in seniors is still not assured. Much success at junior level is built upon technical ability, but at senior level, technical ability will only take you so far. Hence, many junior skaters entering seniors find that they need to build up their PCS scores, artistry, and maturity, in order to become competitive with the best senior skaters. This takes time and commitment to the cause. No wonder, therefore, that so few skater(s) have achieved the hat-trick.

Here is the list of those that have achieved the hat-trick:-

1. Kristi Yamaguchi (Junior World Champion 1988 (singles & pairs), Senior World Champion 1991 & 1992, Olympic Champion 1992)

2. Kim Yu-Na (Junior World Champion 2006, Senior World Champion 2009, Olympic Champion 2010)

3. Viktor Petrenko (Junior World Champion 1984, Senior World Champion 1992, Olympic Champion 1992)

4. Alexei Yagudin (Junior World Champion 1996, Senior World Champion 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, Olympic Champion 2002)

5. Evgeni Plushenko (Junior World Champion 1997, Senior World Champion 2001, 2003, 2004, Olympic Champion 2006)

6. Ekaterina Gordeeva & Sergei Grinkov (Junior World Champions 1985, Senior World Champions 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, Olympic Champions 1988, 1994)

7. Anton Sikharulidze (Junior World Champion (with Maria Petrova) 1994, 1995, Senior World Champion (with Elena Berezhnaya) 1998, 1999, Olympic Champion (with Elena Berezhnaya) 2002)

8. Sergei Ponomarenko (Junior World Champion (with Tatiana Durasova) 1978, 1979, Senior World Champion (with Marina Klimova) 1989, 1990, 1992, Olympic Champion (with Marina Klimova) 1992)

9. Oksana Grishuk & Evgeni Platov (Junior World Champion (Evgeni Platov with Elena Krykanova) 1984, 1985, 1986, Junior World Champion (Oksana Grishuk with Alexandr Chichkov) 1988, Senior World Champions 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, Olympic Champions 1994, 1998)

10. Marina Anissina (Junior World Champion (with Ilia Averbukh) 1990, 1992, Senior World Champion (with Gwendal Peizerat) 2000, Olympic Champion (with Gwendal Peizerat) 2002)

11. Roman Kostomarov (Junior World Champion (with Ekaterina Davydova) 1996, Senior World Champion (with Tatiana Navka) 2004, 2005, Olympic Champion (with Tatiana Navka) 2006)

12. Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir (Junior World Champions 2006, Senior World Champions 2010, 2012, Olympic Champions 2010)

So who is the greatest skater(s) to achieve the hat-trick?

[falling_dance]

ladies' singles: Kim Yu-Na
men's singles: Evgeny Plushenko (I used to say Yagudin, but Plushenko's achievement since 2006 tips the scales in his favor with me.)
pairs: Gordeeva and Grinkov
dance: Virtue and Moir

Of the above, I feel that Gordeeva and Grinkov were the most distinguished. JMO and all that.

[blue_idealist]

I'm going to have to say Plushenko, since he not only won the OGM but two OSMs, and has managed to compete at a high level for more than a decade with only a few short breaks.

Honourable mentions: Gordeeva and Grinkov, for being able to win two OGMs, with six years in between (even though I think Mishkutenok and Dmitriev maybe should have won in '94, the fact remains G&G DID win), and Grishuk and Platov for doing the same thing, although with only four years in between golds.

[misskarne]

I have to go with Plushenko - if only for the spread of his achievements being so great, and the fact that more than fifteen years after his Junior World title, he is still among the very best in the world, among a whole new generation of skaters. He is quite amazing.

[lulu]

I have to go with Plushenko - if only for the spread of his achievements being so great, and the fact that more than fifteen years after his Junior World title, he is still among the very best in the world, among a whole new generation of skaters. He is quite amazing.

That he is.

[Vash01]

Tough poll, but I picked Plushenko. His longevity is unmatched. He first competed in senior worlds at age 15, and at age 30 he is still competitive with the top skaters who are a generation younger than him (in skating terms).

[falling_dance]

Tough poll, but I picked Plushenko. His longevity is unmatched. He first competed in senior worlds at age 15, and at age 30 he is still competitive with the top skaters who are a generation younger than him (in skating terms).

Because I heart trivia: At 1998 Worlds, the oldest competitor was either David Liu (who competed at the 1988 Olympics) or Michael Shmerkin (born February 5, 1970). The youngest competitor in men's singles at 2012 Euros? Slavik Hayrapetyan, who was born on March 16, 1996.

[Cherub721]

I guess G&P since they both accomplished wins at junior worlds with different partners, then came together to win multiple senior titles. This is much more difficult to do than to skate together from a young age and win all the titles (e.g., V&M, G&G), because they don't have that experience growing together which is such an asset to unison and chemistry.

[The Accordion]

On the other hand, it would appear from the lack of couples who do so - that staying together with the same partner for an extended period of time also has its challenges!

What an incredible list of skaters!

[lulu]

On the other hand, it would appear from the lack of couples who do so - that staying together with the same partner for an extended period of time also has its challenges!

What an incredible list of skaters!

ITA. To win an OGM is a wonderful accomplishment in and by itself, to win World Junior, World Senior and the Olympic Gold Medal is amazing.

[ChelleC]

Gordeeva and Grinkov.

[briancoogaert]

Pairs : G&G
Dance : Virtue&Moir (I don't count G&P since they didn't win together junior Worlds !)
Men : A. Yagudin
Ladies : YuNa Kim

[AliasJohnDoe]

Gordeeva and Grinkov. Their return in 1994 was amazing.

[lala]

G&G and
Plushenko-His longevity and his skating's level is fantastic. Since 1998 he was 4th at WCH in 2000. But in other competitions he won golds, or silvers. He won four GPF.

[Proustable]

G/G and Plushenko. G/G's abilities to win all the majors in such a short span, starting with a junior title only three years before their first Olympic victory is rather insane. A second Olympic victory and their world titles are icing on the cake. On the other side, Plushenko's longevity in the sport is rather ridiculous and a testament to his phenomenal abilities.

The rest are first among equals, though.

[misskarne]

Plushenko-His longevity and his skating's level is fantastic. Since 1998 he was 4th at WCH in 2000. But in other competitions he won golds, or silvers. He won four GPF.

I'd just like to throw in that since his 4th place at Worlds in 2000, he has never finished outside the top two in any competitions he completed.

[lulu]

I'd just like to throw in that since his 4th place at Worlds in 2000, he has never finished outside the top two in any competitions he completed.

Impressive I voted for Plushenko. If I could vote more than once, I would vote for G&P. Both of them winning junior worlds with different partners, and then partnering up together and winning 4 world titles and 2 Olympic gold medals, making them, as far as hardware is concern, the most successful ice dance team in history. G&G's feat of winning World Senior one year after they won the World Junior title is also very impressive. A name that hasn't been mentioned in the comments yet, but who also has an impressive record-Kristi Yamaguchi, who as the o.p. noted, won junior titles in both pairs & singles, and then went on to win World & Olympic titles at the senior level.

[jobelle]

I voted G/G because I think they are the only pairs team to ever do so. Anton Sikharulidze won all three ... but with two different partners. Underhill and Martini are the only other pairs team to win both Junior and Senior Worlds. So it is pretty rare for a pairs team to have that kind of success... and then G/G went and won the Olympic gold twice!

[NadineWhite]

Hands down Mr. Evgeni Plushenko:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...figure_skating

Like Gillis Grafstrom and Sonja Henie before him, his name is listed amongst the Immortals. And like them, his achievements span more than a decade, a history of longevity, perseverance, and excellence.

And now with his 10th National Title, he joins the likes of Carlo Fassi (Italy), Nobuo Sato (Japan), Bo Mathander (Sweden), Hans Lindh (Sweden), Alain Giletti (France), Laszlo Vajda (Hungary), Marcus Nikkanen (Finland), Gregor Urbas (Slovenia), and Martin Stixrud (Norway). And if he wins an unprecedented 11th National Title next year he will join the rarest of the rare, which only 3 men belong to: John Ferguson Page (Britain), Oliver Honer (Switzerland), and Werner Rittberger (Germany). No one else listed in the poll even comes close. Period.

One more thing, if Evgeni medals in Sochi, he will tie the greatest figure skater of all-time, Gillis Grafstrom, with 4 medals. And if he somehow medals twice in Sochi, by divine providence, he will become the greatest of all time.

[Vash01]

Hands down Mr. Evgeni Plushenko:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...figure_skating

Like Gillis Grafstrom and Sonja Henie before him, his name is listed amongst the Immortals. And like them, his achievements span more than a decade, a history of longevity, perseverance, and excellence.

And now with his 10th National Title, he joins the likes of Carlo Fassi (Italy), Nobuo Sato (Japan), Bo Mathander (Sweden), Hans Lindh (Sweden), Alain Giletti (France), Laszlo Vajda (Hungary), Marcus Nikkanen (Finland), Gregor Urbas (Slovenia), and Martin Stixrud (Norway). And if he wins an unprecedented 11th National Title next year he will join the rarest of the rare, which only 3 men belong to: John Ferguson Page (Britain), Oliver Honer (Switzerland), and Werner Rittberger (Germany). No one else listed in the poll even comes close. Period.

One more thing, if Evgeni medals in Sochi, he will tie the greatest figure skater of all-time, Gillis Grafstrom, with 4 medals. And if he somehow medals twice in Sochi, by divine providence, he will become the greatest of all time.

Great research. Thanks for the info. I had not even heard of some of these skaters. Of course I knew Graffstrom, Fassi, Sato. I had heard of Rittberger only because of the jump (loop) that is named after him.