Artur Dmitriev Jr.

1.1. Early Life and Family

Dmitriev Jr. was born on September 7, 1992, in Saint Petersburg, Russia. He is the son of two highly regarded sports figures: his father, Artur Dmitriev, is a two-time Olympic champion in pair skating, and his mother, Tatiana Druchinina, is a World Champion in rhythmic gymnastics. Around the age of seven, Dmitriev Jr. moved with his family to the United States, where he resided for approximately seven years. A significant incident in his childhood occurred at age 11 in Hackensack, New Jersey, when his face was severely cut by another skater's blade, requiring 280 stitches. His parents divorced in 2006. Artur Dmitriev Jr. has a half-brother named Artiom, who is from his father's second marriage. He is fluent in both Russian and English.

1.2. Marriage

In August 2020, Artur Dmitriev Jr. married former figure skater Ekaterina Dmitrieva, also known by her maiden name, Ukolova.

2.1. Early Career and Junior Level

Dmitriev began his serious pursuit of figure skating around the age of seven or eight in Hackensack, New Jersey. Around 2007, he moved back to Russia and started training under the guidance of renowned coach Alexei Mishin at the Yubileyny Sports Palace in Saint Petersburg.

At the 2010 World Junior Figure Skating Championships, Dmitriev distinguished himself by being the only skater in the long program to successfully land a quadruple toe loop, which he executed in combination with a double toe loop. His performance allowed him to climb from fifteenth place after the short program to a seventh-place finish overall. Following this, he continued to work on incorporating additional quadruple jumps into his repertoire, practicing the quadruple salchow and loop in May 2010. However, the 2010-11 season saw him hampered by persistent back problems. In the final year of his junior career, at the 2012 World Junior Figure Skating Championships, he placed 14th, which was his lowest result in three appearances at the event.

2.2. Senior Level and Key Achievements

In late 2010, Dmitriev relocated to Moscow to train under Elena Vodorezova (Buianova). For the 2012-13 season, he transitioned to coach Nikolai Morozov, but much of this season was lost due to a knee fracture and a foot fracture. In March 2014, he returned to Saint Petersburg and reunited with Alexei Mishin.

The 2014-15 season saw Dmitriev achieve significant results, winning a silver medal at the 2014 International Cup of Nice and a bronze medal at his inaugural ISU Challenger Series (CS) event, the 2014 CS Volvo Open Cup. He later withdrew from the 2015 Russian Figure Skating Championships after the short program.

The 2015-16 season was particularly successful for Dmitriev. He won the 2015 CS Ice Challenge with a total score of 247.57, exceeding the silver medalist, Jason Brown, by 6.92 points. A week later, he also secured victory at the 2015 Volvo Open Cup. In December 2015, he finished 10th at the 2016 Russian Figure Skating Championships.

In November 2016, Dmitriev made his Grand Prix debut at the 2016 Rostelecom Cup, where he placed 10th. The following week, he competed at his second Grand Prix event, the 2016 Trophée de France, finishing 9th. In December 2016, he placed 8th at the 2017 Russian Figure Skating Championships. In February 2017, he competed at the 2017 Winter Universiade, where he achieved a 4th place finish.

During the 2017-18 season, Dmitriev earned a bronze medal at the 2017 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb and placed 5th at the 2018 Russian Figure Skating Championships. In the 2018-19 season, he began by winning a bronze medal at the 2018 CS Nebelhorn Trophy. He then competed at the 2018 Rostelecom Cup, where he placed 11th overall after an attempt to land a quadruple axel in his free program resulted in a fall.

2.3. Coaching and Training

Artur Dmitriev's training history is characterized by several significant coaching changes and relocations that influenced his development. He began serious skating at about seven or eight in Hackensack, New Jersey. Around 2007, he moved to Saint Petersburg, Russia, to train under Alexei Mishin at the Yubileyny Sports Palace. In late 2010, he relocated to Moscow, where he began training with Elena Vodorezova (Buianova).

For the 2012-13 season, Dmitriev switched coaches again, moving to work with Nikolai Morozov. However, this period was significantly impacted by injuries, as he missed most of the season due to breaking two bones, one in his knee and another in his foot. In March 2014, he returned to Saint Petersburg and rejoined Mishin. After this period, he again moved back to Moscow and began training under his father, Artur Dmitriev, marking another significant coaching transition in his career.

2.4. Skating Technique and Innovations

Artur Dmitriev is recognized for his technical ambitions and innovations in figure skating. He was the first man to land a 3 Lutz + 3 Flip (3Lz+3F) combination jump cleanly in competition, a feat he achieved at the 2018 CS Nebelhorn Trophy. This unique combination involved landing a Lutz jump (normally landed on the right foot) on the left foot, and seamlessly connecting it directly into a flip jump without any intermediate steps.

Additionally, Dmitriev made history at the 2018 Rostelecom Cup when he attempted a quadruple axel during his free program. This attempt made him the first skater ever to try a quadruple axel in international competition, highlighting his commitment to pushing the boundaries of the sport's technical elements.

2.5. Transition to the United States

In 2021, Artur Dmitriev announced his intention to change his national affiliation from Russia to the United States. Following this decision, he began competing in the US Championship Series, which serves as a qualifying pathway for the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. He participated in the event held in Leesburg, Virginia, where he placed fourth in the short program, second in the free skating segment, and ultimately secured third place overall among the four competitors. He was also scheduled to compete at another event in Alpharetta, Georgia, as part of his qualifying efforts for the U.S. national team. At the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, he placed 11th.

4.1. For the U.S.

4.2. For Russia