Charles Sinek (born December 28, 1968) is an American former competitive ice dancer. With partner and wife

Beata Handra Beata Handra (born January 3, 1977) is an American former competitive ice dancer. With partner and husband Charles Sinek, she is the 1999–2002 U.S. national pewter medalist and placed as high as fourth at the Four Continents Championships. Per ...

, he is the 1999–2002

U.S. national Citizenship of the United States is a legal status that entails Americans with specific rights, duties, protections, and benefits in the United States. It serves as a foundation of fundamental rights derived from and protected by the Constituti ...

pewter medalist and placed as high as fourth at the Four Continents Championships.

Personal life

Sinek was born on December 28, 1968, in Wilmington, North Carolina. His father, Joachim Sinek, represented Chile at the Olympic Games in the 1950s in fencing. Charles Sinek and Beata Handra were married in 1996. Their son, Kai Bela Sinek, was born on May 11, 2017.

Career

Charles Sinek originally skated with his sister, Anne Sinek, for several years. After his sister retired, he skated with Regina Woodward at the senior level and then turned professional. Sinek competed at the 1994 Gay Games as a last minute replacement partner for Stephane Vachon, a friend whose partner was unable to compete due to illness. Sinek volunteered to skate with Vachon because he already knew the dance. They won the gold medal in the Male/Male Compulsory Dance 4 competition. Sinek reinstated as an amateur in 1995. He teamed up with 18-year-old

. In 2000, Handra/Sinek were given their first

Grand Prix Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to: Arts and entertainment ...

assignment, Skate America. Three weeks before the event, Sinek developed a staph infection after Handra accidentally cut his right shin in practice. He recovered and they competed at the event, placing sixth. In the 2001–02 season, Handra/Sinek missed their two Grand Prix assignments due to health issues—in August 2001, Sinek underwent knee surgery which resulted in a blood clot in his calf, and tore his meniscus a second time in September 2001. Handra/Sinek placed fourth at the 2002 U.S. Championships and were sent to the

2002 Four Continents Championships The 2002 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships was an international figure skating competition in the 2001–02 season. It was held at the Hwasan Indoor Ice Rink in Jeonju, South Korea on January 21–27. Medals were awarded in the disci ...

where they placed a career-best fourth. They were also granted the United States' second spot to the

2002 Winter Olympics The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Salt Lake 2002 ( arp, Niico'ooowu' 2002; Gosiute Shoshoni: ''Tit'-so-pi 2002''; nv, Sooléí 2002; Shoshoni: ''Soónkahni 2002''), was an internation ...

because two teams who ranked above them nationally— Tanith Belbin / Benjamin Agosto and

Melissa Gregory Melissa Gregory (born May 22, 1981) is an American former ice dancer. With partner and husband Denis Petukhov, she is the 2005 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, 2005 Four Continents silver medalist, a 2006 United States Olympic team m ...

Denis Petukhov Denis Alexandrovich Petukhov (russian: Денис Александрович Петухов; born October 6, 1978) is a retired Russian-American ice dancer. With his wife Melissa Gregory, he is the 2005 Four Continents silver medalist, a 2006 ...

—were ineligible for the Olympics due to citizenship problems. Handra/Sinek placed 23rd at the Olympics.

Programs

(with Handra)

Competitive highlights

With Beata Handra

With Regina Woodward

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sinek, Charles American male ice dancers Figure skaters at the 2002 Winter Olympics Olympic figure skaters of the United States 1968 births Living people Sportspeople from Wilmington, North Carolina