Alena Leonova

Alena Igorevna Leonova (; born 23 November 1990) is a retired Russian figure skater. She is the 2012 World silver medalist, the 2011 Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, the 2009 World Junior champion, and a three-time (2010–2012) Russian national medalist. She is also the 2014–15 ISU Challenger Series runner-up.

Personal life Alena Igorevna Leonova was born on 23 November 1990 in Saint Petersburg (Leningrad).

Career

Early career Leonova started skating at the age of four. She then finished ninth at the 2016 Russian Championships. She ended her season with a win at the Russian Cup Final.

2017–18 season Alena finished fifth in both the 2017 CS Finlandia Trophy and the 2017 CS Ondrej Nepela Trophy, resulting in her finishing seventh in the 2017–18 ISU Challenger Series. Alena Finished sixth in the 2017 NHK Trophy, earning personal best scores in the free skate and overall score. At the 2017 Skate America she finished in seventh place. Alena was not selected for a place on the Russian National Team.

2018–19 season Alena was invited to the 2018 NHK Trophy after Elena Radionova withdrew due to injury. She finished seventh in the most competitive event of the Grand Prix season, achieving new personal bests in the short program and total score. At the 2019 Russian Championships, she placed twelfth.

Skating style

Leonova is renowned for either superb technical ability, great style or artistic abilities, or noteworthy consistency, but she increasingly has gained recognition and praise for her unique choreography, on ice personality and delivery of her programs, and speed and attack. Her programs in the 2011 and 2012 seasons, done by renowned choreographer Nikolai Morozov, were noted for their creativity, rather bizarre and off beat quality, and complexity, and her delivery and commitment to them were praised. Early in her career she drew comparisons to former Russian great Irina Slutskaya due to her strong jumping ability and effervescent personality on the ice.

Programs

Season Short program Free skating Exhibition 2018–19