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Anastasiia Smirnova (figure skater)

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Anastasiia Smirnova
Native nameАнастасія Смірнова
Born (2004-04-20) April 20, 2004 (age 20)
Dnipro, Ukraine
HometownShakopee, Minnesota
Height1.50 m (4 ft 11 in)
Figure skating career
Country United States
PartnerDanylo Siianytsia
CoachTrudy Oltmanns
Skating clubYarmouth Ice Club
Began skating2010
Retired28 August 2023

Anastasiia Smirnova[a] (born April 20, 2004) is a former Ukrainian-born pair skater who represented the United States and Ukraine. With her skating partner, Danylo Siianytsia, she is the 2022 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb champion. They are also the 2021 U.S. junior national champions and finished in the top ten at two World Junior Championships.

Personal life

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Smirnova was born on April 20, 2004, in Dnipro, Ukraine in a Russian-speaking family. As of 2021, she is in her last year of an online Ukrainian high school. Smirnova came to the United States in mid-2018 on a P-1 visa and hopes to gain U.S. citizenship.[1]

Smirnova has a pet kitten named Bunny.[2] She previously coached Learn to Skate lessons at the Shakopee Ice Arena, where she trains.[3]

Career

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Early career

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Smirnova began skating in 2010 in Dnipro. Her first pairs partner was Artem Darenskyi. Coached by Lilia Batutina, Smirnova/Darenskyi were the 2015 Ukrainian junior national silver medalists and the 2016 Ukrainian junior national champion.[4] They competed at two Junior Grand Prix events, placing ninth at 2017 JGP Latvia and 11th at 2017 JGP Belarus, before splitting in fall 2017.[5]

Smirnova teamed up with Danylo Siianytsia in mid-2018 after he found her profile on IcePartnerSearch and asked his coach, Trudy Oltmanns, to arrange a tryout.[1] She moved from Ukraine to train with Siianytsia under Oltmanns in Shakopee, Minnesota. In their first season together, they won the novice bronze medal at the 2019 U.S. Championships.[6]

2019–20 season

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Smirnova/Siianytsia made their junior international debut at 2019 JGP Russia, where they finished seventh overall. They then competed at the 2019–20 U.S. Pairs Final and won the bronze medal, qualifying them to the 2020 U.S. Championships. At the 2019 Golden Spin of Zagreb in December, Smirnova/Siianytsia earned their first international medal, silver behind Georgia's Butaeva/Berulava.[6]

At the 2020 U.S. Championships, Smirnova/Siianytsia were third in the short program but won the free skate to earn the silver medal behind Finster/Nagy. As a result, they were named to the 2020 World Junior Championships team.[3] Smirnova/Siianytsia finished tenth at the World Junior Championships.[6]

2020–21 season

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After the COVID-19 pandemic in Minnesota caused their training rink to close, Smirnova/Siianytsia temporarily relocated with their coach to her old rink in Sioux Center, Iowa.[7] The Junior Grand Prix, where they would have competed, was also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and canceled.

In January, Smirnova/Siianytsia won the junior title at the 2021 U.S. Championships by over 20 points ahead of silver medalists Martins/Bedard, despite Smirnova suffering a high ankle sprain on her right leg in practice the day before competition began.[8] Siianytsia reflected that they were "pretty excited" about the win and "hopefully, it won't be our last one."[8]

2021–22 season

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Smirnova/Siianytsia returned to international competition on the Junior Grand Prix. They were fourth overall in Poland despite placing third in each segment and finished sixth in Austria. They also competed on the senior level for the first time, placing ninth at the Skating Club of Boston's Cranberry Cup.[6] Both skaters contracted COVID-19 in December and withdrew from the 2022 U.S. Junior Championships.[9]

Despite their absence from the national championships, Smirnova/Siianytsia were named to the American team for the 2022 World Junior Championships, which had been originally scheduled to be held in Sofia, but due to the pandemic were moved to Tallinn in mid-April.[10] Due to Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, the International Skating Union banned all Russian athletes from competing at the event.[11] This had a significant impact on the pairs field, long dominated by Russia.[12] The invasion of their native country was a difficult experience for both, with both having family members still living there, some of whom evacuated to Poland. Siianytsia called it "terrifying for our family."[13] Smirnova/Siianytsia placed third in the short program, winning a bronze small medal, their only error being Smirnova underrotating and stepping out of her double Axel.[14] However, the free program proved to be difficult, with Siianytsia falling on both jumps, Smirnova falling on their second throw jump, and then their second lift aborted. They dropped to fourth place overall.[15]

2022–23 season

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Moving to the international senior level full-time, Smirnova/Siianytsia made their Challenger debut at the 2022 CS Finlandia Trophy, where they finished in seventh place.[16] Given two Grand Prix assignments, they were scheduled to make their debut at the 2022 Skate America but had to withdraw after Siianytsia suffered a groin injury. Despite this, they were able to attend their second event, the 2022 Grand Prix of Espoo, five weeks later. They finished second in the short program.[17] However, they dropped to fourth place after the free skate.[18]

Prior to the 2023 U.S. Championships, Smirmova sustained an injury that forced the pair to withdraw from the competition.[19]

Programs

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With Siianytsia

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Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2023–2024
[20]
2022–2023
[21]
2021–2022
[22]
2020–2021
[2]
  • Dixie Biscuits
    by Tape Five
    choreo. by Randi Strong
2019–2020
[23]

With Darenskyi

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Season Short program Free skating
2017–2018
[24]

Competitive highlights

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GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

With Siianytsia for the United States

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International[6]
Event 19–20 20–21 21–22 22–23
GP Finland 4th
CS Finlandia 7th
CS Golden Spin 1st
Cranberry Cup 9th
International: Junior[6]
Junior Worlds 10th 4th
JGP Austria 6th
JGP Poland 4th
JGP Russia 7th
Golden Spin 2nd
National[6]
U.S. Champ. 2nd J 1st J WD WD
U.S. Pairs Final 3rd J
TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew
J = Junior

With Darenskyi for Ukraine

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International: Junior[4]
Event 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18
JGP Belarus 9th
JGP Latvia 11th
National[4]
Ukrainian Junior 2nd 1st

Detailed results

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ISU Personal Best highlighted in bold.

With Siianytsia

Senior results

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2022–23 season
Date Event SP FS Total
December 7–10, 2022 2022 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb 2
62.44 		1
116.82 		1
179.26
November 25–27, 2022 2022 Grand Prix of Espoo 2
63.01 		4
102.11 		4
165.12
October 4–9, 2022 2022 CS Finlandia Trophy 7
54.50 		7
98.38 		7
152.88

Junior results

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2021–22 season
Date Event SP FS Total
April 13–17, 2022 2022 World Junior Championships 3
60.38 		5
88.15 		4
148.53
October 6–9, 2021 2021 JGP Austria 7
51.55 		6
104.85 		6
156.40
Sept. 29 – Oct. 2, 2021 2021 JGP Poland 3
55.07 		3
98.56 		4
153.63
2020–21 season
Date Event SP FS Total
January 11–21, 2021 2021 U.S. Championships 1
59.07 		1
110.78 		1
169.85
2019–20 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 2–8, 2020 2020 World Junior Championships 11
51.19 		10
93.86 		10
145.05
January 20–26, 2020 2020 U.S. Championships 3
54.56 		1
108.48 		2
163.04
December 4–7, 2019 2019 Golden Spin of Zagreb 1
52.17 		3
80.53 		2
132.70
November 12–16, 2019 2019–20 U.S. Pairs Final 3
47.81 		3
87.79 		3
135.60
September 11–14, 2019 2019 JGP Russia 7
45.69 		7
81.20 		7
126.89

Notes

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  1. ^ Ukrainian: Анастасія Смірнова, romanized: Anastasiia Smirnova

References

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  1. ^ a b Cloutier, Claire (January 17, 2020). "Smirnova and Siianytsia's Skating Journey: From Ukraine to the United States". U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone. U.S. Figure Skating.
  2. ^ a b "Anastasiia Smirnova and Danil Siianytsia". U.S. Figure Skating.
  3. ^ a b "Skating to Worlds". City of Shakopee. March 16, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "Competition Results: Anastasiia SMIRNOVA / Artem DARENSKYI". International Skating Union.
  5. ^ "Смірнова/Даренський – Дев'яті hа Турнірі Юніорського Гран Прі У Ризі" [Smirnova / Darenskyi – Ninth at the Riga Junior Grand Prix Tournament] (in Ukrainian). Ukrainian Figure Skating Federation. September 8, 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Competition Results: Anastasiia SMIRNOVA / Danylo SIIANYTSIA". International Skating Union.
  7. ^ Sandbulte, Eric (December 10, 2020). "All Seasons Center hosts champions". Sioux Center News.
  8. ^ a b Penny, Brandon (January 21, 2020). "Junior Champions Crowned as the 2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships Conclude". U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone. U.S. Figure Skating.
  9. ^ Smirnova, Anastasiia; Siianytsia, Danil [@smirnovasiianytsia] (January 1, 2022). "With the 2022 US Championships set to begin in just three days, we are so excited to watch the hopes and dreams of all the skaters who worked so hard this season while trying to balance the health and safety of themselves and others during these crazy times" – via Instagram.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ "ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2022 allotted to Tallinn (EST)". International Skating Union. March 4, 2022.
  11. ^ "ISU Statement on the Ukrainian crisis – Participation in international competitions of Skaters and Officials from Russia and Belarus". International Skating Union. March 1, 2022.
  12. ^ "2022 World Junior Championships". International Figure Skating.
  13. ^ Cloutier, Claire (April 7, 2022). "Smirnova and Siianytsia Confront a Season of Adversity". U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone. U.S. Figure Skating.
  14. ^ Slater, Paula (April 14, 2022). "Safina and Berulava stand out in Tallinn". Golden Skate.
  15. ^ Slater, Paula (April 15, 2022). "Safina and Berulava take first Junior World gold for Georgian Pairs". Golden Skate.
  16. ^ "Hawayek and Baker Secure Ice Dance Silver in Finland". U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone. U.S. Figure Skating. October 9, 2020.
  17. ^ "Ghilardi/Ambrosini (ITA) seize lead in Pairs Short Program at ISU Grand Prix Espoo". International Skating Union. November 25, 2022.
  18. ^ "Rebecca Ghilardi/Filippo Ambrosini take first Grand Prix Pairs gold in nine years for Italy". International Skating Union. November 26, 2022.
  19. ^ "Announcement". Instagram. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  20. ^ "2023/24 Programs". Instagram. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  21. ^ "Anastasiia SMIRNOVA / Danylo SIIANYTSIA: 2022/2023". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022.
  22. ^ "Anastasiia SMIRNOVA / Danylo SIIANYTSIA: 2021/2022". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 14, 2022.
  23. ^ "Anastasiia SMIRNOVA / Danylo SIIANYTSIA: 2019/2020". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 2, 2020.
  24. ^ "Anastasiia SMIRNOVA / Artem DARENSKYI: 2017/2018". International Skating Union.
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