Figure skater & team retirement announcements in 2021-22

Ugh, I'm so sad about this, but I'm sure the emotional toll of trying to compete on top of everything else was massive for them. I'm glad they want to continue in skating at least, and I hope they have loads of success in whatever they do. Their RD from 2022 Worlds remains one of the most raw, emotional, incredible things I've ever seen in all my years of watching skating, and I'm not ashamed to say I ugly cried for a while after that.

Best of luck to them in whatever they do next.
 
Sylvia said:
Alexandra Nazarova announces just now that she and Max Nikitin (UKR) have decided to retire (why their names were crossed out from their 2 Grand Prix assignments yesterday): https://www.instagram.com/p/ChMpDaLo9xr/
In English:

ETA that Nikitin has posted the same message on his Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChMpJ0rIzrm/

Their ISU bio: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00012757.htm
Click to expand...

I'm sad about this news because I always enjoyed their programs and they both seem like genuinely wonderful people. They will be missed so much but I'm glad we have their inspiring RD from Worlds as a lasting memory of their skating career. 💖
 
@Ananas Astra the Russian article has since been updated "UPD : later, the skaters denied that they were ending their careers."

ETA:

I've seen so many lovely tributes to Nazarova/Nikitin on social media since their announcement and now regret that I didn't create a separate thread for them yesterday - is it too late?

Link to the separate thread:

Nazarova & Nikitin (UKR) announce their retirement... and what's next for them

Creating a separate thread for yesterday's announcement by Oleksandra Nazarova and Maksym Nikitin that they have decided to end their competitive careers (their first international was a JGP in 2010). Nazarova: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChMpDaLo9xr/ "Max and I worked together for almost 20...
www.fsuniverse.net
 
Last edited:
Sylvia said:
@Ananas Astra the Russian article has since been updated "UPD : later, the skaters denied that they were ending their careers."

ETA:

I've seen so many lovely tributes to Nazarova/Nikitin on social media since their announcement and now regret that I didn't create a separate thread for them yesterday - is it too late?
Click to expand...
No
 
Maximillian said:
So now this is just a thread for making s~%t comments about skaters? I'm not a fan of this pair, but seriously, I know we all enjoy getting off on our righteous indignation, but sometimes it gets a bit tedious...
Click to expand...
Feel free to skip any comment too tedious for you. Any Putin Bot that turns their back on friends who have trained with them for years and have had lots of contact with the world outside of Russia needs a reset.
 
Re-posting here:
TAHbKA said:
Yanovskaya/Lukacs are done, he retired, she is looking for a partner

Gurgen Vardanian: Anna Yanovskaya / Adam Lukacs had split. The main reason was not making it to the Olympics - they were named as substitute and Adam lost his motivation. He had been telling me for a while he felt they would not participate. In the end he lost the will to keep practicing and setting the new goals. At the same time he met his love -a Russian girl. They got married and decide to stay in Moscow.
Anna wants to keep skating and we are looking for a partner for her. Of course it's tough. She is coaching but she dreams to go back to sports'
According to MatchTv Yanovskaya and Sergey Mozgov became coaches in `A Blue Bird' school and are coaching together.
Click to expand...
Link to their ISU bio: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00102719.htm
 
Sylvia said:
"Four-time #EuroFigure competitor Conor Stakelum 🇮🇪 ⛸ has announced his retirement." - tweeted by the Ice Skating Association of Ireland today: https://twitter.com/IceSkateIRL/status/1549061869729619969
Here's the link to Stakelum's post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CgKMhQrq_i8/
His ISU bio: http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00054307.htm
Click to expand...
ISAI published a Q&A with Conor on August 22, 2022:

Conor Stakelum: No Regrets As He Moves On From Competitive Skating – Ice Skating Ireland

isai.ie isai.ie
 
Last edited:
Ekaterina Ryabova announced her retirement just now on Instagram. Really surprising as she moved into the top 10 at Worlds.

www.instagram.com

𝗘𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗥𝘆𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘃𝗮📍Moscow 🇷🇺 on Instagram: "💔. Я завершила свою спортивную карьеру. Спасибо всем причастным! ⛸"

1,712 likes, 188 comments - _rina.r on September 6, 2022: "💔. Я завершила свою спортивную карьеру. Спасибо всем причастным! ⛸".
www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
 
tony said:
Ekaterina Ryabova announced her retirement just now on Instagram. Really surprising as she moved into the top 10 at Worlds.

www.instagram.com

𝗘𝗸𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗥𝘆𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘃𝗮📍Moscow 🇷🇺 on Instagram: "💔. Я завершила свою спортивную карьеру. Спасибо всем причастным! ⛸"

1,712 likes, 188 comments - _rina.r on September 6, 2022: "💔. Я завершила свою спортивную карьеру. Спасибо всем причастным! ⛸".
www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
Click to expand...
She had said before that she did not want to skate for a long time. And I think it is financially harder to continue a career now.
 
Maybe a big wedding, in France, is in the works for Ryabova & Brissaud (sp)?
 
Last edited:
From the Canadian Press' Lori Ewing - Many retired athletes struggle with 'unravelling of identity' after career ends (Sept. 16, 2022): https://www.cbc.ca/sports/athlete-post-retirement-life-identity-1.6585516

Kaetlyn Osmond ("There was a loss of validation. For a long time, you're the centre of conversation, you're trending on social media. And then the next thing you know you are completely forgotten.") talks about her tough journey since her retirement in 2018 (which she has talked about before) - thanks to @nlloyd for the heads up re. the more recently retired Nam Nguyen's quotes, copied out below:

Nam Nyugen called it a career after the Canadian figure skating championships in January. The 24-year-old, who won the world junior title in 2014, now coaches hockey players in power skating. Jack McBain of the Arizona Coyotes and Paul Ludwinski, the Kingston Frontenacs forward and Chicago's second-round draft pick, are among his clients.

What does he miss from figure skating?

"Nothing," Nguyen said, then added, "I miss performing for the audience. But in actuality, there really isn't much that I miss from figure skating. The last two years as an athlete really messed me up mentally [due to the COVID-19 pandemic]."

Nguyen, who purchased hockey skates and a stick for his new gig — he delightedly said his shoulders are sore from learning how to shoot a puck — watched a sectional figure skating competition recently. It failed to rekindle any love for the sport.

"It just pushed me away further because I remembered how awful I felt during my warm-up and how nervous I felt, and sitting there in front of the TV, I'm like, 'I'm so glad I'm not doing this anymore.'

"I still refuse to teach figure skating. I'm just in love with this new stuff that I'm pursuing right now."
 
Last edited:
Sylvia said:
From the Canadian Press' Lori Ewing - Many retired athletes struggle with 'unravelling of identity' after career ends (Sept. 16, 2022): https://www.cbc.ca/sports/athlete-post-retirement-life-identity-1.6585516

Kaetlyn Osmond ("There was a loss of validation. For a long time, you're the centre of conversation, you're trending on social media. And then the next thing you know you are completely forgotten.") talks about her tough journey since her retirement in 2018 (which she has talked about before) - thanks to @nlloyd for the heads up re. the more recently retired Nam Nguyen's quotes, copied out below:

Nam Nyugen called it a career after the Canadian figure skating championships in January. The 24-year-old, who won the world junior title in 2014, now coaches hockey players in power skating. Jack McBain of the Arizona Coyotes and Paul Ludwinski, the Kingston Frontenacs forward and Chicago's second-round draft pick, are among his clients.

What does he miss from figure skating?

"Nothing," Nguyen said, then added, "I miss performing for the audience. But in actuality, there really isn't much that I miss from figure skating. The last two years as an athlete really messed me up mentally [due to the COVID-19 pandemic]."

Nguyen, who purchased hockey skates and a stick for his new gig — he delightedly said his shoulders are sore from learning how to shoot a puck — watched a sectional figure skating competition recently. It failed to rekindle any love for the sport.

"It just pushed me away further because I remembered how awful I felt during my warm-up and how nervous I felt, and sitting there in front of the TV, I'm like, 'I'm so glad I'm not doing this anymore.'

"I still refuse to teach figure skating. I'm just in love with this new stuff that I'm pursuing right now."
Click to expand...
Wow. Kind of heartbreaking to hear that Nam does not miss skating. But I'm happy to hear that he's absolutely loving what he's doing now.
 
Mariah Bell officially announced her retirement today (includes 7 photos): https://www.instagram.com/p/CjoOwf6v_0J/

For those without Instagram, here's the full text of her message:
My heart is so full, I am so grateful for the highs and lows, struggles and success. This journey was hard and I didn’t always like it but I did always love it. All of these experiences made me the person I am, a person ready to hang up my competitive skating and take on the next part of my life with knowledge I could only gain through gliding across a cold sheet of ice everyday. My dreams became reality! I learned through perseverance and determination there are no limits. I’ve always strived to be true to myself and not make excuses when things did not go my way and be thankful when they did. I hope others may find inspiration in my career. All good things must come to an end and I am so lucky I am ending with my love of skating at an all time high.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone that supported me, you made my journey so much sweeter.

See you on the ice again but now just for the fun of shows ❤️
Click to expand...
ETA that Mariah will tour with SOI in Canada during the December holiday season: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/2022-canadian-stars-on-ice-tour.109381/page-5#post-6305551

Mariah has since moved to the Dallas area - thanks to @cheremary who posted this link in Mariah's fan thread last month:

Olympian Figure Skater Now Calls NRH Home! – Home of the Brahmas

www.nytexsports.com www.nytexsports.com
Reigning US National Figure Skating Champion and team USA member, Mariah Bell, performed during the first intermission of the game. Shortly after the Winter Olympics, Mariah officially moved to North Richland Hills where she will call the NYTEX Sports Centre her skating home. She will be working alongside her sister Morgan Bell as they train the next generation of Olympic skaters.
Click to expand...
ETA #2 - NBC Sports OlympicTalk's article:
olympics.nbcsports.com

Mariah Bell moves on from competitive figure skating

Mariah Bell, the oldest U.S. women’s figure skating champion in 95 years who made her first Olympics at age 25, is ending her competitive career.
olympics.nbcsports.com olympics.nbcsports.com
From the end:
Bell is the first U.S. woman to leave competitive skating rather than defend a national title since Sasha Cohen in 2007 and the first to outright end her competitive career as national champion in three decades.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Good luck to her! Although I really wish I could have seen her compete again, I totally respect her decision to retire.
 
Good for Mariah Bell to go out on a high note, even if wasn't with a world medal. She did well to collect a national title, an Olympic berth, and come close to the world podium, but it's clear that the level of the sport has passed her by. She wouldn't be a lock for the 2023 World team, and I suspect by 2026 she'd be going down a Rachael Flatt / Emily Hughes / 12th to 20th at Nationals path. Kudos to her for making a good decision, and best wishes in what comes next.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)

Similar threads

Sylvia
Healing a Broken Sport: My Story - by Morgan Matthews
Replies
12
Views
7K
BrightSkates
BrightSkates
Sylvia
Debi Thomas' return to competition (in figures & fancy skating)
Replies
2
Views
5K
Aussie Willy
Aussie Willy
Sylvia
Laura Lepistö's autobiography published April 2024 in Finland
Replies
6
Views
4K
Frau Muller
Frau Muller
natsulian
Bradie Tennell Announces Coaching Change
Replies
25
Views
7K
Sylvia
Sylvia
Sylvia
Piper Gilles opens up about her frightening experience with ovarian cancer
2
Replies
31
Views
10K
Sylvia
Sylvia
Back
Top
Do Not Sell My Personal Information