Isabella Flores
Born (2003-04-30) April 30, 2003 (age 21)
Wiesbaden, Germany
HometownColorado Springs, Colorado
Height1.53 m (5 ft 0 in)
Figure skating career
Country United States
Partner
CoachElena Dostatni,
Logan Giulietti-Schmitt
Skating clubThunderbirds SC
Began skating2009

Isabella Flores (born April 30, 2003) is an American ice dancer. With her former skating partner, Dimitry Tsarevski, she is the 2021 JGP France II silver medalist, the 2021 JGP Poland silver medalist, and the 2021 U.S. junior national pewter medalist.

Personal life

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Flores was born on April 30, 2003 in Wiesbaden, Germany to parents Holly, a financial advisor, and Adam, a consultant, both of whom served in the U.S. Army. She has a younger sister, Olivia, who competes for the U.S. in pair skating.[1]

Flores graduated with honors from Cheyenne Mountain High School in 2021, where she ran varsity cross-country in addition to her ice dance training. As of 2023, she is a student at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs majoring in mathematics.[1]

Career

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Early years

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Flores began learning how to skate in 2009 in Colorado Springs. She trained as a single skater in 2011, when she became inspired to take up ice dance after attending a seminar on the discipline hosted by her current coach, Elena Dostatni.[2] Early in her ice dance career, Flores skated with a number of different partners, including Davis Ortonward from 2013–2014, Mikhail Gumba from 2017–2018, and British skater Adam Bouaziz from 2019–2020. Flores/Bouaziz finished 13th at the 2020 U.S. Junior Championships before splitting in the spring when Bouaziz returned home to the United Kingdom.[1][3]

Following the end of her partnership with Bouaziz, Flores teamed up with Dimitry Tsarevski in May 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Flores/Tsarevski only competed domestically during the 2020–21 season, placing third in the junior ice dance category at a U.S. Figure Skating virtual invitational event and claiming the pewter medal at the 2021 U.S. Junior Championships. Following their podium finish at nationals, Flores stated, "Dima and I are ecstatic that we were able to make the breakthrough." The then-17-year-old also shared hopes for the season ahead, adding, "Ultimately this [their 4th place finish] allows us to set loftier goals for this season such as qualifying for Junior Worlds."[3]

2021–22 season: International junior debut

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Flores/Tsarevski received two ISU Junior Grand Prix series assignments in their international debut season as team. They placed second at both of their events, the 2021 JGP France II and the 2021 JGP Poland, and were named as second alternates for the ultimately cancelled 2021–22 Junior Grand Prix Final. The duo competed once more ahead of the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, taking the junior ice dance title at another domestic invitational event in November.

Flores/Tsarevski were slated to competed at the U.S. national championships in early January of 2021. However, Flores unexpectedly lost contact with Tsarevski in late December, citing Christmas Day as the last time she'd been able to reach him.[4] Out of concern for her partner's safety, Flores contacted local police, who were reportedly met with resistance from Tsarevski's parents during attempted welfare checks, and reached out for aid and advice through social media.[5] In a final update on the situation posted to her Instagram account on February 3, 2022, Flores stated that while she still had not heard from Tsarevski, she'd decided to accept the apparent end of their partnership and begin considering other options to continue her ice dance career.[4] While further details regarding Tsarevski's circumstances during late 2021 and early 2022 have never been made public, the skater did return to competition in 2023 with a new partner, Katarina Wolfkostin.[6]

2022–23 season: Debut of Flores/Desyatov

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Flores traveled abroad for two months at the beginning of 2022

Programs

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With Desyatov

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Season Short program Free skating
2023–2024
[7]
2022–2023
[7]

With Tsarevski

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Season Short program Free skating
2021–2022
[8]
2020–2021
[1]

Competitive highlights

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CS: Challenger Series, JGP: Junior Grand Prix, USCS: U.S. Championship Series

With Desyatov

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International
Event 2022–23 2023–24
CS Budapest Trophy WD
National[9]
U.S. Champ. 10th
Eastern Sectionals 2nd
WD = Withdrew

With Tsarevski

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International: Junior
Event 2020–21 2021–22
JGP France II 2nd
JGP Poland 2nd
Lake Placid IDI 1st
National[9]
U.S. Champ 4th J WD
USCS Georgia 1st J
USCS Virtual 3rd J
WD = Withdrew
Levels: J = Junior

With Bouaziz

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National[9]
Event 2019–20
U.S. Champ. 13th J
U.S. Ice Dance Final 13th J
Midwestern Sec. 5th J
Levels: J = Junior

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "2021–22 Figure Skating Roster: Isabella Flores / Dimitry Tsarevski". U.S. Figure Skating. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  2. ^ Capellazzi, Gina (February 20, 2023). "A family affair". Figure Skaters Online. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Calder, Anne (April 19, 2021). "Flores & Tsarevski shine in Nationals debut". Ice-Dance.com. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  4. ^ a b @isabellaflores_ (February 3, 2022). "I promised that I would keep everyone updated" – via Instagram.
  5. ^ "Team USA ice dancer 'vanishes' as partner appeals over 'abuse' fears". RT News. December 31, 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  6. ^ Wickliffe, Greg (May 17, 2023). "Ann Arbor's Katarina Wolfkostin announces new ice-skating partnership". MLive.com. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Profile – Isabella Flores & Ivan Desyatov". Ice-Dance.com. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  8. ^ "Isabella FLORES / Dimitry TSAREVSKI: 2021/2022". International Skating Union. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  9. ^ a b c "Isabella FLORES / Ivan DESYATOV". RinkResults.com. Retrieved November 1, 2023.