Maria Pavlova (figure skater)

Maria Evgenievna Pavlova (Russian: Мария Евгеньевна Павлова; born 2 August 2004) is a Russian-Hungarian pair skater who currently competes for Hungary. With her current skating partner, Alexei Sviatchenko, she is a two-time ISU Grand Prix medalist, two-time Hungarian national champion (2023-24), and finished fifth at the 2023 European Championships.

Maria Pavlova
Pavlova and Sviatchenko at the 2024 World Championships
Full nameMaria Evgenievna Pavlova
Native nameМария Евгеньевна Павлова (Russian)
Born (2004-08-02) 2 August 2004 (age 20)
Moscow, Russia
Height1.54 m (5 ft 12 in)
Figure skating career
Country Hungary (since 2021)
 Russia (2017–19)
DisciplinePair skating (since 2021)
Women's singles (2017–19)
PartnerAlexei Sviatchenko
(since 2022)
Balázs Nagy (2021–22)
CoachDmitri Savin
Fedor Klimov
Sofia Evdokimova
Gurgen Vardanjan
Skating clubSebestyén KSE
Began skating2009
Representing  Hungary
Hungarian Championships
Gold medal – first place 2023 Budapest Pairs
Gold medal – first place 2024 Turnov Pairs
Silver medal – second place 2022 Spišská Nová Ves Pairs

With her former partner, Balázs Nagy, Pavlova is the 2022 Hungarian national silver medalist and finished 11th at the 2022 European Championships.

Personal life

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Pavlova was born on 2 August 2004 in Moscow, Russia.[1] Pavlova, her mother, and older sister moved to Toronto, Canada when Pavlova was ten years old due to her sister attending university there. While Pavlova and her mother returned to Russia after two years, her sister settled in Canada.[2] She went on to become a Hungarian citizen in February 2022.[3]

Pavlova looks up to Yuzuru Hanyu and Javier Fernández, who she had gotten to know as a child while training at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club.[2]

Career

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Pavlova (far right) on the podium at the 2018 Russian Cup

Pavlova began figure skating in 2009.[1] Her family lived in Canada for two years during her childhood, during which time she trained at the Toronto Cricket, Skating & Curling Club under Brian Orser.[4] As a singles skater, she competed at two Russian Championships (2018, 2019).[5] Her first pair partner was Ilia Spiridonov, though they never competed together internationally.


Partnership with Nagy

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2021–2022 season

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In September 2021, it was announced announced that Pavlova had teamed up with Hungarian pair skater, Balázs Nagy and that they would represent Hungary together, coached by Dmitri Savin and Fedor Klimov.[6][7]

Making their debut at the Budapest Trophy, where they were seventh, they then competed twice on the Challenger series, finishing fifth at the 2021 CS Denis Ten Memorial Challenge and thirteenth at the 2021 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb.

After winning the silver medal at the 2022 Four National Championships and the Hungarian Championships, Pavlova/Nagy made their debut at the European Championships, finishing eleventh.[6]

Partnership with Sviatchenko

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2022–23 season

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In November 2022, it was announced that Pavlova's partnership with Nagy had dissolved and that she would continue to represent Hungary with Russian-born pair skater, Alexei Sviatchenko. They would be coached by Dmitri Savin and Fedor Klimov and primarily train in Sochi due to the shortage of elite-level training rinks for pair skaters in Hungary.[8][2]

Pavlova dealt with injuries that caused them to miss the early part of their first season together.[9] The pair made their debut at the 2022 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb, finishing ninth. Pavlova/Sviatchenko went on to win gold at the 2023 Four National Championships and the 2023 Hungarian Championships.[10]

At the 2023 European Championships in Espoo, Finland, Pavlova/Sviatchenko skated two clean programs, placing sixth in the short program and fourth in the free skate, finishing in fifth place overall. They then competed at the 2023 Bavarian Open and the 2023 International Challenge Cup, taking gold and silver, respectively.[10]

At the 2023 World Championships in Saitama, Japan, Pavlova/Sviatchenko delivered two strong performances, placing eighth in the short program and seventh in the free skate, finishing in seventh-place overall.[10] Their results were the best for a team representing Hungary in decades.[9]

2023–24 season

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Pavlova and Sviatchenko at 2023 Skate Canada International

Pavlova/Sviatchenko competed twice on the Challenger circuit to begin the season, coming fifth at the 2023 CS Nebelhorn Trophy before winning the bronze medal at the 2023 CS Finlandia Trophy.[10] They were then invited to make their Grand Prix debut at the 2023 Skate Canada International, where they finished fourth in the short program after a spin error. They then moved up to second after the free skate, taking the silver medal. This was the first ever Grand Prix medal for a pair representing Hungary, and the first in any discipline since Júlia Sebestyén's bronze medal at the 2009 Skate America.[11]

 
Pavlova and Sviatchenko perform a pair spin during their free skate at the 2024 World Championships

They were again fourth in the short program at the 2023 Grand Prix of Espoo, but another second-place free skate won them the bronze medal.[12]

The team's results on the Grand Prix initially had them finishing as first alternates to the Grand Prix Final.[13] They were called up to compete at the Beijing event following the withdrawal of German team Hocke/Kunkel, and came in fourth at the event.[14]

Pavlova/Sviatchenko competed next at the 2024 European Championships, finishing fourth in the short program, less than two points back of third place. They came third in the free skate, winning a bronze small medal, but remained fourth overall, 1.66 points behind bronze medalists Ghilardi/Ambrosini of Italy. They expressed dissatisfaction with the judging of their performances, with Pavlova saying "our motivation goes down every time we keep getting these scores."[15]

Finishing the season at the 2024 World Championships in Montreal, Pavlova/Sviatchenko came sixth in the short program. They moved up to fourth after the free skate, which she called "very motivating for next season."[4]

2024–25 season

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Pavlova/Sviatchenko started the season by competing at the 2024 CS Lombardia Trophy and the 2024 Shanghai Trophy, where they won bronze and gold, respectively. Going on to compete on the 2024–25 Grand Prix series, the pair placed fifth at 2024 Skate America and win silver at the 2024 Finlandia Trophy.[10]

Programs

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With Sviatchenko

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Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2024–2025
[16]
2023–2024
[17][18]
2022–2023
[1]

With Nagy

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Season Short program Free skating
2021–2022
[6]

Competitive highlights

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Pair skating with Alexei Sviatchenko (for Hungary)

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Competition placements at senior level [19]
Season 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
World Championships 7th 4th
European Championships 5th 4th
Grand Prix Final 4th
Hungarian Championships 1st 1st
GP Finland 3rd 2nd
GP Skate America 5th
GP Skate Canada 2nd
CS Finlandia Trophy 3rd
CS Golden Spin of Zagreb 9th
CS Lombardia Trophy 3rd
CS Nebelhorn Trophy 5th
Bavarian Open 1st
Budapest Trophy 2nd
Challenge Cup 2nd
Shanghai Trophy 1st

Pair skating with Balázs Nagy (for Hungary)

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Competition placements at senior level [20]
Season 2021–22
European Championships 11th
Hungarian Championships 2nd
CS Golden Spin of Zagreb 13th
Budapest Trophy 7th
Denis Ten Memorial 5th

Single skating (for Russia)

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Competition placements at junior level [5]
Season 2017–18 2018–19
Russian Championships 18th 17th

Detailed results

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ISU personal best scores in the +5/-5 GOE System [19]
Segment Type Score Event
Total TSS 204.60 2024 World Championships
Short program TSS 68.01 2024 World Championships
TES 38.25 2023 World Championships
PCS 30.31 2024 World Championships
Free skating TSS 136.59 2024 World Championships
TES 74.40 2024 World Championships
PCS 62.19 2024 World Championships

Pair skating with Alexei Sviatchenko (for Hungary)

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Results in the 2024–25 season[19]
Date Event SP FS Total
P Score P Score P Score
Sep 12–15, 2024   2024 CS Lombardia Trophy 4 66.89 1 129.78 3 196.67
Oct 3-5, 2024   2024 Shanghai Trophy 1 62.66 1 120.54 1 183.20
Oct 18-20, 2024   2024 Skate America 4 65.11 5 118.90 5 184.01
Nov 15–17, 2024   2024 Finlandia Trophy 3 54.33 2 122.92 2 184.21
2023–24 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 18–24, 2024 2024 World Championships 6
68.01
4
136.59
4
204.60
January 8–14, 2024 2024 European Championships 4
65.29
3
128.73
4
194.02
December 14–16, 2023 2024 Four Nationals Championships 1
64.87
1
131.31
1
196.18
December 7–10, 2023 2023–24 Grand Prix Final 4
65.51
5
126.51
4
192.02
10–12 November 2023 2023 Grand Prix of Espoo 4
61.53
2
124.66
3
186.19
October 27–29, 2023 2023 Skate Canada International 4
62.22
2
125.56
2
187.78
October 13-15, 2023 2023 Budapest Trophy 1
63.08
2
129.28
2
192.36
October 4-8, 2023 2023 CS Finlandia Trophy 3
61.66
4
107.73
2
169.39
September 20–23, 2023 2023 CS Nebelhorn Trophy 5
61.34
5
121.26
5
182.60
2022–2023 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 22–26, 2023 2023 World Championships 8
64.43
7
126.24
7
190.67
February 23–26, 2023 2023 International Challenge Cup 4
58.44
2
115.19
2
173.63
January 31–February 5, 2023 2023 Bavarian Open 2
65.07
1
112.71
1
177.78
January 25–29, 2023 2023 European Championships 6
57.97
4
115.01
5
172.98
December 15–17, 2022 2023 Four National Championships 1
61.84
1
112.01
1
173.85
December 7–10, 2022 2022 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb 9
53.58
9
97.67
9
151.25

With Nagy

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2021–2022 season
Date Event SP FS Total
January 10–16, 2022 2022 European Championships 11
56.24
11
105.08
11
161.32
December 16–18, 2021 2022 Four National Championships 2
55.34
2
101.59
2
156.93
December 7–11, 2021 2021 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb 11
55.61
14
95.92
13
151.53
October 28–31, 2021 2021 Denis Ten Memorial Challenge 6
56.96
5
107.21
5
164.17
October 14–17, 2021 2021 Budapest Trophy 6
51.37
7
88.01
7
139.38

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Maria Pavlova / Alexei Sviatchenko: 2022/2023". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c ""It wasn't "Russification" of Hungarian figure skating but systematic development." Interview with Hungarian pair Maria Pavlova / Alexei Sviatchenko and their coach Dmitri Savin". FS Gossips. FS Gossips. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  3. ^ Pavlova, Maria. "Citizen". Instagram. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  4. ^ a b Slater, Paula (March 22, 2024). "Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps golden in Montreal". Golden Skate. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Maria Pavlova". Skating Scores. SkatingScores.com. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Maria PAVLOVA / Balazs NAGY". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on January 16, 2022.
  7. ^ "Budapest Trophy 2021" (PDF). Hungarian Skating Federation. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  8. ^ "ISU CS 54th Golden Spin of Zagreb 2022 - Pairs". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  9. ^ a b Flade, Tatjana (5 August 2023). "New Chapter for Hungary's Pavlova and Sviatchenko". Golden Skate. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Maria Pavlova / Alexei Sviatchenko: Competition Results". International Skating Union.
  11. ^ Slater, Paula (October 29, 2023). "Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps dominate pairs at Skate Canada". Golden Skate. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  12. ^ Slater, Paula (November 18, 2023). "Hase and Volodin golden in Grand Prix debut". Golden Skate. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  13. ^ "Figure skating: Who has qualified for the Grand Prix Final 2023?". Olympic Channel. November 25, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  14. ^ Slater, Paula (December 8, 2023). "Hase and Volodin seize Grand Prix Final gold". Golden Skate. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  15. ^ Slater, Paula (January 11, 2024). "Beccari and Guarise clinch unexpected gold at 2024 Europeans". Golden Skate. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  16. ^ "Maria Pavlova / Alexei Sviatchenko: 2024/2025". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on September 17, 2024.
  17. ^ "Maria Pavlova / Alexei Sviatchenko: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023.
  18. ^ Pavlova, Maria. "2023/24 Exhibition". Instagram. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  19. ^ a b c "HUN–Maria Pavlova/Alexei Sviatchenko". SkatingScores.com.
  20. ^ "HUN–Maria Pavlova/Balázs Nagy". SkatingScores.com.
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