Biography of Elena Glebova

Elena Glebova was born on June 16, 1989, in Tallinn, Estonia. The future seven-time Estonian Figure Skating Champion grew up in a sporting family. Her father is originally from Tver, Russia, while her mother has Finnish roots. Elena and her brother Ilya were both born and raised in Estonia and are Estonian citizens.
Elena began figure skating at the age of five. She was introduced to the sport by her older brother, who had been advised by doctors to take up winter sports to improve his health. After attending one of his training sessions, Elena fell in love with figure skating and decided to step onto the ice herself. According to Elena, what fascinated her most were the speed, the feeling of flight, and the jumps.
Elena took her first steps in figure skating at the Tallinn Linnahall Ice Rink under the guidance of coach Irina Kononova. From an early age, she stood out for her excellent coordination, determination, and ability to learn new elements quickly. These qualities enabled her to progress rapidly and laid the foundation for her future success in the sport.

Change of Coach

One of Elena Glebova’s first major achievements came at the age of 10, when she successfully landed a double Axel jump—an outstanding accomplishment in Estonian figure skating at the end of the 1990s. A turning point in her career came when she met legendary Estonian coach Anna Levandi, a World Championship silver medalist and multiple-time European Championship medalist. At the age of 12, Elena began training under Levandi’s guidance.
Just two years later, Elena made a breakthrough by winning her first Estonian Senior National Championship at the age of 14. She went on to remain the leading figure in Estonian women’s figure skating for the next decade, capturing seven national titles and establishing herself as one of the most successful skaters in the country’s history.
Beginning with the 2003/2004 season, Elena Glebova represented Estonia in international competitions sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU). Under the guidance of Anna Levandi, she became a medalist at numerous international events and achieved 6th place at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships—one of the best results ever recorded by an Estonian female single skater.
At the age of 16, Elena made her Olympic debut. Competing at the world’s most prestigious sporting event became a defining moment in her career, providing invaluable experience and confidence that contributed to her continued development and success on the international stage.

Elena Glebova

Despite an intensive training schedule and frequent travel to competitions, Elena Glebova successfully balanced her athletic career with her education. According to Elena, studying came naturally to her, and she consistently maintained strong academic results throughout her competitive years.
From grades 1 to 9, Elena attended Tallinn Tõnismäe Reaalkool (TTRŠ). She later continued her education at Audentes Sports Gymnasium, a school specifically designed to help student-athletes combine high-level sports training with academic studies. This environment allowed her to effectively balance schoolwork, daily training sessions, and preparation for international competitions.
After graduating from high school, Elena enrolled at Tallinn University, where she studied choreography and program creation. The knowledge and skills she gained during her studies later became an important part of her coaching career, helping her develop competitive skating programs and enhance the artistic performance of her athletes.

Moving to the USA

The 2011/2012 season became one of the most challenging periods of Elena Glebova’s career. After many years of competing at a high level, physical fatigue and emotional burnout began to affect her performances. A particularly difficult moment came when she was defeated at the Estonian National Championships, prompting her to reconsider the next stage of her athletic career.
A turning point arrived in the spring of 2012. While preparing for the World Championships in Japan, a devastating earthquake struck the country, leading to the emergency relocation of athletes to the United States. As a result, Elena found herself training at the renowned Ice House in Hackensack, New Jersey—one of the world’s most respected figure skating centers, where numerous Olympic champions and World Championship medalists had trained.
After spending several weeks in this highly competitive environment, Elena made the important decision to continue her career in the United States. The elite training conditions, strong competition, and opportunity to work alongside some of the world’s top skaters opened new possibilities for her development. In the summer of 2012, Elena relocated to the United States, beginning a new chapter in her figure skating career.
From 2012 to 2014, Elena Glebova trained in the United States under the guidance of coaches Igor Krokavec and Craig Maurizi. During this period, she also worked with some of the world’s leading choreographers, including Lea Ann Miller, David Wilson, and Shae-Lynn Bourne, further enhancing both the technical and artistic quality of her performances.
The collaboration with her new team produced the best results in the history of Estonian women’s single skating at that time: a 7th-place finish at the European Figure Skating Championships and 13th place at the World Figure Skating Championships. Following her participation in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Elena announced her retirement from competitive skating.
Over ten years of competing at the senior international level, Elena won seven Estonian National Championship titles, represented Estonia at three Olympic Games, and earned medals at numerous ISU international competitions. One of the highlights of her career was winning the prestigious Japan Open as a member of Team Europe.

Success Factors

When asked about the reasons behind her successful athletic career, Elena Glebova highlights three key factors.
The first is discipline and a systematic approach to training. Over more than 20 years in figure skating, she missed virtually no scheduled training sessions. Special attention was devoted not only to on-ice practice but also to off-ice conditioning, including strength and fitness training, specialized exercises, choreography, and gymnastics—essential components of a figure skater’s development and long-term success.
The second factor is the willingness to do more than what is required. According to Elena, consistently going beyond the expected standard—even by a small margin—creates a significant advantage over time and plays an important role in achieving success in sport.
The third factor is natural athletic ability. Fast rotation, speed, explosive movement, and strong endurance allowed her to master new elements more quickly and compete successfully at the international level.
It was the combination of discipline, hard work, and natural talent that helped Elena become a seven-time Estonian National Champion, a three-time Olympian, and one of the most successful figure skaters in the history of Estonia.

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