Oleg Kimovich Vasiliev (russian: Олег Кимович Васильев; born 22 November 1959) is a Russian former

pair skater Pair skating is a figure skating discipline defined by the International Skating Union (ISU) as "the skating of two persons in unison who perform their movements in such harmony with each other as to give the impression of genuine Pair Skating a ...

who competed internationally for the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

. With his then-wife

Elena Valova Elena Aleksandrovna Valova (russian: Елена Александровна Валова; born 4 January 1963) is a Russian former pair skater who competed internationally for the Soviet Union. With her then-husband Oleg Vasiliev, she is the 19 ...

, he is the 1984 Olympic champion, 1988 Olympic silver medalist, and three-time World Champion (1983, 1985, 1988). Their coach throughout their career was

Tamara Moskvina Tamara Nikolayevna Moskvina (, née Bratus, Братусь; born 26 June 1941) is a Russian pair skating coach and former competitive skater. Competing in pairs with Alexei Mishin, she became the 1969 World silver medalist and Soviet national ...

. After retiring from competition, Vasiliev became a coach, leading the pair of

Tatiana Totmianina Tatiana Ivanovna Totmianina (russian: Татьяна Ивановна Тотьмянина; born 2 November 1981) is a Russian former competitive pair skater. With partner Maxim Marinin, she is the 2006 Olympic champion, two-time World champion, ...

Maxim Marinin Maxim Viktorovich Marinin (russian: link=no, Максим Викторович Маринин, born 23 March 1977) is a Russian former competitive pair skater. With partner Tatiana Totmianina, he is the 2006 Olympic champion, two-time World cham ...

to the 2006 Olympic title.

Personal life

Vasiliev was born in

Leningrad Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

(modern-day Saint Petersburg),

Russian SFSR The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR or RSFSR ( rus, Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, Rossíyskaya Sovétskaya Federatívnaya Soci ...

, to parents Ludmila Konstantinovna Vasilieva, a nurse, and Kim Mikhailovich Vasiliev. He graduated from the Institute for Physical Culture in Saint Petersburg. Vasiliev moved to

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

in December 1997. He was married to Valova from 1984 to 1992. He later married a Saint Petersburg resident named Valentina (divorced in 2000), with whom he has a daughter, Katia. His first daughter was born circa 1994. Around 2013, Vasiliev married his third wife, Natalia, who is from Moscow. As of August 2016, the couple lives in Moscow with their daughter Varvara (born circa 2014).

Career

Competitive career

Vasiliev's parents decided to introduce him to skating when he was five because he had had pneumonia several times as a child and his doctor recommended an outdoor activity. As a single skater, Vasiliev won a Junior national title. Coach

invited Vasiliev to switch to

pair skating Pair skating is a figure skating discipline defined by the International Skating Union (ISU) as "the skating of two persons in unison who perform their movements in such harmony with each other as to give the impression of genuine Pair Skating a ...

several times before he agreed, at age 18. Initially, he was physically ill-suited for the discipline and had much work to develop his muscles. He and his first partner,

Larisa Selezneva Larisa Yurievna Selezneva (russian: Лариса Юрьевна Селезнёва; born September 12, 1963 in Leningrad) is a Russian former pair skater who represented the Soviet Union. With her husband Oleg Makarov, she is the 1984 Olympic br ...

, argued incessantly and split after three months. Moskvina then paired him with

, with whom he continued to train in Leningrad (Saint Petersburg). Valova/Vasiliev's breakthrough came in the 1982–83 season. They won bronze at the

Prize of Moscow News The Prize of ''Moscow News'' (russian: Приз газеты «Московские новости»), also known as the Moscow Skate, Nouvelles de Moscou, and the Moscow News Trophy, was an international, senior-level figure skating competition h ...

, gold at the

1982 Skate America The 1982 Skate America was held in Lake Placid, New York on October 6–10. Medals were awarded in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, and ice dancing Ice dance (sometimes referred to as ice dancing) is a discipli ...

, and then silver at the 1983 European Championships. The pair concluded their season by winning their first World title. They missed the 1983 national championships due to Vasiliev's broken jaw. In 1984, Valova/Vasiliev won their first European title and then took gold at the

1984 Winter Olympics The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games (Serbo-Croatian and Slovene: ''XIV. Zimske olimpijske igre''; Cyrillic: XIV Зимске олимпијске игре; mk, XIV Зимски олимписки игр ...

in Sarajevo. The deaths of several Soviet government officials, including one during the Olympics, cast a pall over the Soviet team and the athletes were told not to show too much joy. The pair took silver at their final event of the season, the 1984 World Championships. In 1985, the pair won gold at both the

European European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe ...

and

World Championships A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...

but 1986 saw the emergence of the young Moscow pair

Ekaterina Gordeeva Ekaterina "Katia" Alexandrovna Gordeeva (russian: Екатерина Александровна Гордеева; born 28 May 1971) is a Russian figure skater. Together with her husband, the late Sergei Grinkov, she was the 1988 and 1994 Olymp ...

Sergei Grinkov Sergei Mikhailovich Grinkov (russian: Сергей Михайлович Гриньков; 4 February 1967 – 20 November 1995) was a Russian pair skater. Together with his wife Ekaterina Gordeeva, he was the 1988 and 1994 Olympic Champion and ...

. Although Valova/Vasiliev were awarded gold at the 1986 Europeans, they finished second to the Muscovites at both the

1986 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal ente ...

and 1987 Worlds. In their final amateur season, Valova/Vasiliev took silver at the

1988 Winter Olympics The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games (french: XVes Jeux olympiques d'hiver) and commonly known as Calgary 1988 ( bla, Mohkínsstsisi 1988; sto, Wîchîspa Oyade 1988 or ; cr, Otôskwanihk 1998/; srs, Guts� ...

behind Gordeeva/Grinkov but then prevailed over the reigning Olympic champions at the 1988 World Championships. After winning their third World title, Valova/Vasiliev retired from ISU competition. After performing for a year in

Igor Bobrin Igor Anatolyevich Bobrin (Russian: Игорь Анатольевич Бобрин) (born 14 November 1953 in Leningrad) is a Russian former competitive figure skater who represented the Soviet Union. He is the 1981 European champion, the 1981 ...

's ice theatre, they signed a U.S. contract – the first Soviets to do so without losing their citizenship. The pair performed together in various shows and events until the end of 1997. Vasiliev was awarded the

Order of Friendship of Peoples The Order of Friendship of Peoples (russian: oрден Дружбы народов, translit=orden Druzhby narodov) was an order of the Soviet Union, and was awarded to persons (including non-citizens), organizations, enterprises, military unit ...

Coaching career

Vasiliev initially had no interest in coaching but changed his mind. He coached one season for the Latvian federation and then about two years for the French federation near

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

. Since 1998, Vasiliev has coached in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

and

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

. During his time in the United States, he worked at the Oakton Ice Arena in

Park Ridge, Illinois Park Ridge is a city in Cook County, Illinois, Cook County, Illinois, United States, and a Chicago suburb. Per the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 39,656. It is located northwest of downtown Chicago. It is close to O' ...

. He has coached the following skaters: *

Vera Bazarova Vera Yevgenyevna Bazarova (russian: Ве́ра Евге́ньевна База́рова, born 28 January 1993) is a Russian pair skater. With former partner Yuri Larionov, she is the 2012–13 Grand Prix Final silver medalist, a three-time Eur ...

Andrei Deputat Andrei Dmitriyevich Deputat (russian: Андрей Дмитриевич Депутат; born 20 December 1992) is a Ukrainian-Russian pair skater who has represented Russia internationally since 2012. With former partner Vasilisa Davankova, he is ...

: From April 2014 to 2016. *

: From January 2001 to March 2006. (2006 Olympic champions and two-time World champions) *

Maria Mukhortova Maria Vladimirovna Mukhortova (russian: Мария Владимировна Мухортова; born 20 November 1985) is a Russian pair skater. With former partner Maxim Trankov, she is the 2008 European silver medalist, a five-time Grand Prix ...

Maxim Trankov Maxim Leonidovich Trankov (russian: Максим Леонидович Траньков; born 7 October 1983) is a Russian pair skater. With Tatiana Volosozhar, he is a two-time 2014 Olympic champion in the pairs and in team events, the 2013 ...

: From December 2006 to March 2010. (2008 European silver medalists) *

Viktoria Volchkova Viktoria Yevgenyevna Volchkova (; married name: Butsaeva (russian: Буцаева); born 30 July 1982) is a Russian figure skating coach and former competitor. She is a four-time (1999–2002) European bronze medalist, the 2002 Grand Prix Final b ...

: From spring 2002 to mid-2003. (2002 Grand Prix Final bronze medalist) *

Fumie Suguri is a Japanese former competitive figure skater. She is a three-time World medalist, a three-time Four Continents champion, the 2003 Grand Prix Final champion, and a five-time Japanese national champion. Personal life Suguri was born in Chiba, ...

: From autumn 2004 to 2005. *

Katarina Gerboldt Katarina Alexandrovna Gerboldt (russian: Катарина Александровна Гербольдт; born 28 March 1989) is a Russian retired figure skater. In single skating, her best result at an ISU Championship was sixth at the 2009 Europ ...

Alexander Enbert Alexander Yuryevich Enbert (russian: Александр Юрьевич Энберт; born 17 April 1989) is a Russian retired pair skater. With Natalya Zabiyako, he was the 2019 World bronze medalist, 2018 European bronze medalist, 2018 Grand ...

: From May 2013 to April 2014. *

Ivan Righini Ivan Righini, previously Ivan Vadimovich Bariev (russian: Иван Вадимович Бариев, born 16 April 1991) is a retired Italian competitive figure skater and current chorographer. He is a two-time Bavarian Open champion and a four-ti ...

Nicole Della Monica Nicole Della Monica (born 3 June 1989) is a retired Italian pair skater. With her former partner Matteo Guarise, she is a seven-time Italian national champion (2016–22) and has represented Italy at the 2014, 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics. W ...

Matteo Guarise Matteo Guarise (born 15 September 1988) is an Italian pairs figure skater and roller skater. Guarise is the 2008 World champion in pairs roller skating with Sara Venerucci. With his former figure skating partner Nicole Della Monica, he is a seve ...

Programs

(with Valova)

1979–1988

} ---- *

Kalinka Kalinka may refer to: Places *Kalinka, Kardzhali Province, Kardzhali Municipality, Bulgaria *Kalinka Temple, a temple in northern India *Kalinka, Lublin Voivodeship, a village in the Lublin Voivodeship, Poland *Kalinka, Russia, the name of several ...

---- * Romance
, - ! 1985–86 , * Music
, * Shurale
, * Romance
, - ! 1984–85 , * Flight of the Bumblebee
, * Shurale
, * Baba-Yaga
---- *

Madama Butterfly ''Madama Butterfly'' (; ''Madame Butterfly'') is an opera in three acts (originally two) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It is based on the short story "Madame Butterfly" (1898) by John Luther ...

, - ! 1983–84 , *

, * Get Back *

Für Elise Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor (WoO59, Bia515) for solo piano, commonly known as "Für Elise" (, ), is one of Ludwig van Beethoven's most popular compositions. It was not published during his lifetime, only being discovered (by Ludwig Nohl) 40 year ...

* Stairway to Heaven , * Baba-Yaga
---- *

Solveig's Song ''Peer Gynt'', Op. 23, is the incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's 1867 play of the same name, written by the Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg in 1875. It premiered along with the play on 24 February 1876 in Christiania (now Oslo). Grieg la ...

, - ! 1982–83 , * March of the Toreadors
---- * Sibaney , * Get Back * Für Elise
* Stairway to Heaven , * Solveig's Song
---- * Circus , - ! 1981–82 , , *

Scheherazade Scheherazade () is a major female character and the storyteller in the frame narrative of the Middle Eastern collection of tales known as the ''One Thousand and One Nights''. Name According to modern scholarship, the name ''Scheherazade'' deri ...

, , - ! 1980–81 , , * Scheherazade
---- *

Pictures at an Exhibition ''Pictures at an Exhibition'', french: Tableaux d'une exposition, link=no is a suite (music), suite of ten piano pieces, plus a recurring, varied Promenade theme, composed by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky in 1874. The piece is Mussorgsky's ...

, , - ! 1979–80 , * Demon , * Little Eagle
*

On the Nameless Height ''On the Nameless Height'' (russian: На безымянной высоте, Na bezymyannoy vysote) also known in English as ''On an Unnamed Hill'' and ''Unidentified Heights'',Bridge over Troubled Water ---- * Paso Doble
---- *

A Whiter Shade of Pale "A Whiter Shade of Pale" is a song by the English rock band Procol Harum that was issued as their debut record on 12 May 1967. The single reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart on 8 June and stayed there for six weeks. Without much promotion, i ...

---- *

---- * Waltz
---- *

Swan Lake ''Swan Lake'' ( rus, Лебеди́ное о́зеро, r=Lebedínoye ózero, p=lʲɪbʲɪˈdʲinəjə ˈozʲɪrə, link=no ), Op. 20, is a ballet composed by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1875–76. Despite its initial failur ...

(''comedic'')
---- *

Zorba's Dance "Zorba's Dance" ( el, Ο Χορός Του Ζορμπά) is an instrumental by Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis. The song featured for the dance, which has become known as sirtaki, in the 1964 film ''Zorba the Greek'', for which Theodorakis wrote t ...

---- *

Şüräle Shurale (Tatar and Bashkir: Шүрәле, �yræˈlɘ russian: Шурале) is a forest spirit in Tatar and Bashkir mythology. According to legends, Şüräle lives in forests. He has long fingers, a horn on its forehead, and a woolly body. He ...

Results

Amateur career with Valova

Professional career with Valova

References

External links

Navigation

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vasiliev, Oleg 1959 births Living people Russian male pair skaters Soviet male pair skaters Olympic figure skaters of the Soviet Union Figure skaters at the 1984 Winter Olympics Figure skaters at the 1988 Winter Olympics Russian figure skating coaches Olympic gold medalists for the Soviet Union Olympic silver medalists for the Soviet Union Figure skaters from Saint Petersburg Recipients of the Order of Friendship of Peoples Olympic medalists in figure skating World Figure Skating Championships medalists European Figure Skating Championships medalists Medalists at the 1984 Winter Olympics Honoured Coaches of Russia Medalists at the 1988 Winter Olympics Universiade medalists in figure skating Universiade bronze medalists for the Soviet Union Competitors at the 1981 Winter Universiade