Alena Leonova announces her retirement and is expecting her first child

[Sylvia]

Alena Leonova deserves her own retirement thread in GSD! She says in this interview that "this season I staged the programs for Nastya Gubanova" and she and husband Anton Shulepov are expecting a boy around mid-February 2022!

Алена Леонова: ждем мальчика, наверное, будет фигурист

Серебряная медалистка чемпионата мира 2012 года в одиночном фигурном катании Алена Леонова рассказала о последних новостях в своей жизни, главная из которых –... РИА Новости Спорт, 10.10.2021

rsport.ria.ru

Machine translated excerpts:

- You didn’t officially end your career, if I’m not mistaken?
- I didn't officially end my career, because we planned to make a great show, many eminent skaters wanted to come to it and say warm words, thank them very much. But, unfortunately, due to the pandemic, our plans were thwarted. Lately we have been thinking about this October, we wanted to arrange an event at the Panin Memorial. But I won't go out on the ice anymore, that's why this, most likely, will be canceled. So I ended my career. For two years now I haven’t been preparing for the competition, I have started staging programs, and since this season, thanks to Yevgeny Rukavitsyn, I have recruited an elementary training group and have been working with young children.

- My last start was two years ago at the Panin Memorial, and I performed there with a slight injury. Due to the stress during the preparation for the season, my knee bothered, and I skated in pain. Probably, at that moment I realized that, probably, already had enough. And, to be honest, I have not been drawn to the ice since then. Apparently, she was so tired and so emotionally given to skating that I don't want to go to the show, to any ship, or to ice fairy tales. But I still do not lose hope to hold my farewell show in order to say warm words to my family and friends, to coaches, to thank the fans who have supported and believed in me for so many years of my career.
Well, as a coach, I now want to educate my students.

She posted the "gender reveal" moment on her Instagram earlier today: https://www.instagram.com/p/CU2BTbOojcr/

 

[rfisher]

I will miss her. Two silver and a bronze medal at Russian national championships, multiple GP medals, topped by a Worlds silver medal in 2012--the first Russian ladies medal at Worlds since 2005. I hope she has an excellent career as a development coach.

 

[caseyedwards]

Congratulations!!! Her witch program is an iconic one for the ages!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Panja]

I mostly remember her great Pirates programme (with which she got that Silver Worlds medal), and a good memory it is!

 

[Cherub721]

I consider Leonova the precusor of the Russian ladies' dominance. She won the World Juniors in 2009 and from then the Russian ladies have won 10 of 12. She stayed top 10 at Worlds and consistently kept 2 or 3 spots, and then got the first senior World medal since Slutskaya in 2012. I especially remember her 2014 season when against all the odds she got on the European team and was the first alternate for the Sochi Olympics, something no one expected.

So many great programs... Chicago with the drunk steps, the Russian folk SP, Pirates SP, Witches of Eastwick, Bollywood, Chaplin, and then some beautiful more mature programs at the end of her career like Nocturne.

 

[Scott512]

Alena Leonova deserves her own retirement thread in GSD! She says in this interview that "this season I staged the programs for Nastya Gubanova" and she and husband Anton Shulepov are expecting a boy around mid-February 2022!

Алена Леонова: ждем мальчика, наверное, будет фигурист

Серебряная медалистка чемпионата мира 2012 года в одиночном фигурном катании Алена Леонова рассказала о последних новостях в своей жизни, главная из которых –... РИА Новости Спорт, 10.10.2021

rsport.ria.ru

Machine translated excerpts:


She posted the "gender reveal" moment on her Instagram earlier today: https://www.instagram.com/p/CU2BTbOojcr/

Congrats to Alena on the baby boy on the way and for choreographing Nastias 2 new beautiful programs. They were way underscored in Finlandia but they are beauties.

Leonova did help kick start the Russian revolution in women's figure skating

 

[quartz]

Babyperk!!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I consider Leonova the precusor of the Russian ladies' dominance. She won

Who was on the scene with her from Russia back 10 or 12 years ago it was Ksenia the blonde skater that Johnny weir really liked

What happened to her? I actually quite enjoyed her skating.

Best wishes to Alena.

Last thought I remember wasn’t she told if she won the gold medal the junior world championships the Russian government would give her an apartment? I’m trying to remember

 

[Vagabond]

Who was on the scene with her from Russia back 10 or 12 years ago it was Ksenia the blonde skater that Johnny weir really liked

What happened to her? I actually quite enjoyed her skating.

Ksenia Makarova – LCSW, Psychotherapist

kseniamakarovatherapy.com

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Ksenia Makarova – LCSW, Psychotherapist

kseniamakarovatherapy.com

Yes!!!

 

[PeterG]

Is it okay if I ignore all the wonderful information shared here and stay living in my dream world of Alena returning to competitive skating one day?

 

[overedge]

She was one of the group that trained in Abbotsford prior to the 2010 Olympics, and at the rink sessions that were open for public viewing, it was really inspiring to see her work so hard and be so focused. I adore her skating, and I'm sorry to see her leave, although it sounds like she left on good terms and is moving on to other things that she can enjoy.

 

[Coco]

Hey, this baby will probably be born during the Olympics.