Viktoriia Safonova

Viktoriia Andreevna Safonova (, Belarusian: Вікторыя Сафонава; born 8 May 2003) is a Russian-Belarusian figure skater who currently competes as an Individual Neutral Athlete. She is the 2019 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb silver medalist, the 2021 CS Nebelhorn Trophy bronze medalist, the 2020 Ice Star champion, the 2019 Volvo Open Cup champion, and a seven-time Belarusian national champion (2020–26). Viktoriia is capable of landing the Quadruple Loop jump in practice, the only Belarusian woman to do so.

Safonova represented Belarus at the 2022 Winter Olympics and competed as an Individual Neutral Athlete at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Personal life Viktoriia Safonova was born on 8 May 2003 in Moscow, Russia.

2025–2026 season: Milano Cortina Olympics

In May 2025, the International Skating Union announced that Safonova had been approved as an Individual Neutral Athlete (AIN), making her eligible to compete at the 2025 ISU Olympic Qualifying Competition to vie for a spot to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics. She competed at the Skate To Milano competition in Beijing, China, finishing in fourth place and securing herself an Olympic spot.

In November, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially declared Safonova as eligible to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

On 17 February, Safonova competed in the women's short program at the 2026 Winter Olympics. She doubled out on what was intended to be a triple toe on the second part of her planned jump combination. This costly mistake led her to finish in twenty-sixth place, failing to qualify for the event's free skate segment.

Following the Olympics, it was announced that Safonova had left longtime coach, Oksana Matveeva, and was now training under Oleg Vasiliev. Each of these skaters are required to undergo an individual assessment conducted by the ISU Council to determine whether they meet the criteria for neutral status. Safonova's application was approved, allowing her to continue competing as a neutral athlete.

Programs Season Short program Free skating Exhibition 2025–2026