Elene Gedevanishvili (Georgian: ელენე გედევანიშვილი, born 7 January 1990) is a Georgian former competitive figure skater. She is a two-time (2012, 2010) European bronze medalist. In winning the medal in 2010, Gedevanishvili became the first skater from Georgia to medal at an ISU Championships.[1] She has competed at three Winter Olympics: Turin 2006, Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014.

Elene Gedevanishvili
ელენე გედევანიშვილი
Gedevanishvili in March 2012
Born (1990-01-07) 7 January 1990 (age 34)
Tbilisi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union
Height1.53 m (5 ft 0 in)
Figure skating career
Country Georgia
CoachCraig Maurizi, Igor Krokavec
Skating clubDinamo Tbilisi
Began skating1993
Retired2016?
Medal record
Figure skating: Ladies' singles
Representing  Georgia
European Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Tallinn Ladies' singles
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Sheffield Ladies' singles

Personal life

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Elene Gedevanishvili was born in Tbilisi, Georgian SSR.[2] She is the elder sister of Dmitri Gedevanishvili, a competitive alpine skier.[3] She graduated from Plymouth State University in Spring 2019 with Bachelor of Science in psychology of exercise.[4]

Gedevanishvili now works as an ice skating instructor at Cutting Edge Ice Academy, an ice hockey training facility in Elmwood Park, NJ.

Career

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Early years

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As a child, Gedevanishvili lived and trained in Georgia and went to training camps in Moscow, Russia. At the age of nine, she and her mother settled in Moscow and at age eleven, she began working with Elena Buianova (Vodorezova).[3] She trained at CSKA Moscow with Buianova and Tatiana Tarasova. At the 2005–06 ISU Junior Grand Prix event in Estonia, she became the first Georgian skater to win a Junior Grand Prix event.

Senior debut

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Gedevanishvili made her senior international debut at the 2006 European Championships where she finished 5th. Her second senior competition was the 2006 Winter Olympics. She was 6th in the short program and finished 10th overall. She ended the season at the 2006 World Championships, placing 14th.

In October 2006, Gedevanishvili was forced to leave Russia after the Russian authorities revoked her mother's visa on a technicality.[5] Her mother was given ten days to leave the country so Buianova recommended that the skater train in Tallinn, Estonia with Anna Levandi (Kondrashova) for her first Grand Prix event of the season, the 2006 Cup of China, which was to take place in three weeks.[5] Shortly thereafter, Gedevanishvili contracted a case of whooping cough that went undiagnosed for several months.[3] She withdrew from both of her Grand Prix events. In December 2006,[3] she moved to Wayne, New Jersey to train with coach Galina Zmievskaya, former coach of Olympic gold medalist Oksana Baiul. She left Zmievskaya in April 2007 due to a personality conflict.

Gedevanishvili was awarded the Order of Honor by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili for her achievements as an athlete and in recognition of her treatment in Russia.[3] She moved to Hackensack, New Jersey to train with coaches Roman Serov and Viktor Kudriavtsev at the Ice House. In 2009, she changed coaches to Robin Wagner.[6][7] She also occasionally worked with Roman Serov on her jumps and 1982 World Champion Elaine Zayak.[7] Gedevanishvili can perform the Biellmann spin with a foot change.

2009–present

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In 2009, Gedevanishvili finished 25th at Europeans, the lowest result at the event in her career, but then achieved a career-best result at the World Championships where she finished 10th. Her Worlds placement qualified her for her second Olympics.

Gedevanishvili became the first skater representing Georgia to medal at an ISU Championships when she won the bronze medal at the 2010 European Championships.[1] She then competed in the 2010 Winter Olympics, placing 9th in the short program, 17th in the free skate, and 14th overall. At the final event of the season, the 2010 World Championships, she finished 18th.

In the 2010–11 season, Gedevanishvili finished 8th at the 2011 European Championships. She was able to repeat her career-best 10th-place finish at the World Championships. In July 2011, Gedevanishvili switched coaches to Brian Orser in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[8] On 28 January 2012, she won her second European bronze medal at the 2012 European Championships. She was 10th at the 2012 World Championships.

In the 2012–13 season, Gedevanishvili was 14th at European Championships. At the 2013 World Championships, she missed an opportunity to qualify for the 2014 Winter Olympics by finishing 29th, the lowest Worlds placement of her career. In the summer of 2013, Gedevanishvili moved from Toronto to Boxborough, Massachusetts in order to be closer to her family.[9] Konstantin Kostin and Edouard Pliner became her coaches.[9]

In September 2013, Gedevanishvili placed 6th at the Nebelhorn Trophy, the last Olympic qualifying event. As a result of her placement, Georgia received one of the six ladies' spots available to countries not having qualified at 2013 Worlds. Gedevanishvili switched coaches back to Brian Orser and Ghislain Briand after the Grand Prix series. Gedevanishvili placed 10th at European Championships and 19th at the 2014 Winter Olympics.[4]

For the 2014-15 season, Gedevanishvili was assigned to the 2014 Skate America.[10]

Currently, Gedevanishvili is a skating technique instructor for ice hockey players at Cutting Edge Ice Academy in Elmwood Park, New Jersey.[11]

Programs

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Gedevanishvili at the 2010 European Championships exhibition gala.
 
Gedevanishvili with the other medalists at the 2010 European Championships.
Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2015-2016
[12][13]
2014–2015
[2][14]


Burlesque:

  • Tough Lover
  • Express
  • Show Me How You Burlesque
2013–2014
[15]
2012–2013
[16]
2011–2012
[17]
2010–2011
[18]
  • Phantom of the Opera
    by Andrew Lloyd Webber
2009–2010
[19][20]
  • Fever
    by Davenport
2008–2009
[21]
2007–2008
[22]
2006–2007
[23]
  • Flamenco Fantasia
2005–2006
[24]
  • Granada
2004–2005
[25]
  • The Mexican Hat Dance
2003–2004
[26]
  • The Mexican Hat Dance
  • Ballet égyptien
    by Alexandre Luigini

Competitive highlights

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GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series (began in the 2014–15 season); JGP: Junior Grand Prix

International[27]
Event 01–02 02–03 03–04 04–05 05–06 06–07 07–08 08–09 09–10 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14 14–15 15–16
Olympics 10th 14th 19th
Worlds 14th 17th 20th 10th 18th 10th 10th 29th 22nd
Europeans 5th 8th 7th 25th 3rd 8th 3rd 14th 10th 23rd
GP France 7th 7th
GP NHK Trophy 8th 6th 5th 6th 9th 10th
GP Skate America 6th 6th 7th 7th 9th 7th
GP Skate Canada 5th WD
Nebelhorn Trophy 2nd 6th
Finlandia Trophy 4th
Karl Schäfer 4th 1st
NRW Trophy 1st
Lombardia Trophy 8th
International: Junior[27]
Junior Worlds 12th 5th 6th
JGP Final 7th
JGP Croatia 7th
JGP Estonia 1st
JGP France 17th
JGP Slovakia 3rd
JGP Ukraine 6th
EYOF 7th
Haabersti Cup 3rd
National[27]
Georgian Champ. 4th 1st 1st J.
Team events
Japan Open 3rd T
(5th P)
J. = Junior level; WD = Withdrew
T = Team result; P = Personal result; Medals awarded for team result only.

References

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  1. ^ a b "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2010". International Skating Union. 23 January 2010. Archived from the original on 28 January 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  2. ^ a b "Elene GEDEVANISHVILI: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d e Flade, Tatjana (1 April 2007). "Georgian Figure Skater has High Hopes for 2007–08". Golden Skate. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
  4. ^ a b "Elene GEDEVANISHVILI". Sochi2014.com. Organizing Committee of the XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games of 2014 in Sochi. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014.
  5. ^ a b Mchedlishvili, Nona (20 October 2006). "Georgia: Russia's Crackdown Sends Olympian Packing". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011.
  6. ^ Iorfida, Chris (24 February 2010). "Rochette 3rd behind Kim, Asada". CBC Sports. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
  7. ^ a b Herrmann, Suzanne (4 September 2009). "Elene Gedevanishvili – Elene at a Glance". AbsoluteSkating. Retrieved 23 December 2010.
  8. ^ Brodie, Rob (7 November 2012). "Elene Gedevanishvili Feeling the Music". IFS Magazine. Archived from the original on 27 October 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
  9. ^ a b Rutherford, Lynn; Kany, Klaus-Reinhold (22 July 2013). "'Gladiator' Manella ousts 'Zorro' Messing in Aston". IceNetwork. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  10. ^ "2014-15 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating" (PDF). July 18, 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-07-22.
  11. ^ "Staff". Cutting Edge Ice Academy. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
  12. ^ Lombardia Trophy 2015. Giornata di gara del 19.09.2015. Cat. Senior Ladies SP [Lombardia Trophy 2015. Competition date 19 September 2015. Senior Ladies SP] (Steaming) (in Italian). Sesto, Italy: idealweb.tv. 19 September 2015. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  13. ^ Lombardia Trophy 2015.Giornata di gara del 20.09.2015. Cat. Senior Ladies FS [Lombardia Trophy 2015. Competition date 20 September 2015. Senior Ladies FS] (Steaming) (in Italian). Sesto, Italy: idealweb.tv. 20 September 2015. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  14. ^ "Elene GEDEVANISHVILI: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 23 March 2015.
  15. ^ "Elene GEDEVANISHVILI: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 4 June 2014.
  16. ^ "Elene GEDEVANISHVILI: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 14 June 2013.
  17. ^ "Elene GEDEVANISHVILI: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 31 May 2012.
  18. ^ "Elene GEDEVANISHVILI: 2010/2011". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 16 August 2011.
  19. ^ "Elene GEDEVANISHVILI: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 7 May 2010.
  20. ^ "Elene GEDEVANISHVILI: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 17 November 2009.
  21. ^ "Elene GEDEVANISHVILI: 2008/2009". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 28 May 2009.
  22. ^ "Elene GEDEVANISHVILI: 2007/2008". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 13 June 2008.
  23. ^ "Elene GEDEVANISHVILI: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 15 July 2007.
  24. ^ "Elene GEDEVANISHVILI: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 15 July 2006.
  25. ^ "Elene GEDEVANISHVILI: 2004/2005". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 May 2005.
  26. ^ "Elene GEDEVANISHVILI: 2003/2004". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 5 June 2004.
  27. ^ a b c "Competition Results: Elene GEDEVANISHVILI". International Skating Union.
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