Figure skater Marina Klimova three times became the world champion and four times was the first in Europe paired with Sergei Ponomarenko. In addition, the athlete starred in films and participated in ice shows. Honored Master of Sports of the USSR is engaged in coaching.
Several documentaries have been shot about Marina Vladimirovna. The skater also took part in the work on the famous film project "White Horse".
Star start
The biography of the future celebrity began in 1966. The girl was born in Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg) on June 28 in an ordinary family not related to professional sports. From the age of seven, the child was sent to figure skating. Training Marina began at the local stadium "Youth". Very soon, the girl established herself as a promising athlete.
Klimova was taken to the school of the Olympic reserve. She went into pair skating before the age of 12. The first partner of the young figure skater was Oleg Volkov. In 1978, couples made their debut at the Winter Spartakiad of the peoples of the USSR. In the championship among juniors, athletes confidently took the third position. Promising skaters, especially the graceful Marina, noticed mentor Natalya Dubova. The metropolitan coach invited the girl to go to her.
Klimova’s new partner was Sergey Ponomarenko. He has already achieved considerable success, becoming not only the champion at the Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR and the first at the world tournament. The skater rose to the podium after the end of the international tournament Nebelhorn Trophy. For the new couple, the young coach chose the classic style. Such a quick approach was successful.
The pair won prizes in prestigious competitions. It looked from the side of the steam very impressive. Dancing was distinguished by an elegant and sophisticated performing manner, perfect movements, musicality and harmony, as well as Sergey’s tender and even reverent attitude to Marina. The partner was 6 years younger than him. Journalists wrote that the skaters demonstrated absolute possession of the “Dubovskiy skate”.
Family and vocation
In adult competitions, the couple performed in 1983. Debutants got 4th place. The following year, the guys won bronze at the Olympic Games in Sarajevo, then there was the European Championship in Budapest. Athletes who perfectly controlled the skate skated to the music of Kalman's “Princess of the Circus”.
In 1986, the mentor invited the pupils to perform a golden waltz. The premiere became a real sensation in figure skating. The program was prepared exclusively for Klimova and Ponomarenko. A considerable merit is that the dance has become a mandatory type of program belongs to Marina.
The chosen sport helped the girl arrange her personal life. In 1984, she and Sergey became husband and wife. Two sons appeared in the union, Tim and Anton. The younger continued his parents' sports career, becoming a skater. In ice dancing, he stands for the United States with Cristina Carreira. Also, the future of sports attracted Tim: his choice was swimming.
At the European Championships, the spouses became the second, they won silver at the World Championships and the Olympics in 1988. The pair received gold for the first time in 1989. The guys then performed at the European level. In 1990, they became the first in the world. They confirmed their leadership at the European Championship in 1991. The main rivals of the domestic duet were the French couple Duchenne. The guys lost to them at the world championship. But for the first time in the history of figure skating, Marina and Sergey became the owners of medals of all virtues in 1991. Athletes noticed that new dance styles appeared, the classics turned into an unclaimed option.
After leaving the ice
Gradually, to get the highest title, this monotony was not enough. The couple went in search of a new one. This was the reason for parting with the mentor in 1991. Tatyana Tarasova became the coach of the duet. For athletes, she proposed an avant-garde style. The change in choreography and costumes added freshness and courage to the performances. In 1992, the duet became the first in the world championship in Albertville. The competitors were behind.
The Russian couple danced a free program to Bach's music so vividly that it was this track that was then played throughout the documentary film Albertville 1992: 16th Winter Olympic Games. Also, in the piggy bank of Marina and Sergey, gold appeared after the Olympics and the European Championship. On a triumphant note, the couple decided to end their amateur career. They moved into the professional category.
Among the professionals, the duo took silver in 1995 and 1996. Skaters took part in ice shows. Athletes relocated to the United States. Marina took up coaching. Together with her husband, she teaches juniors figure skating in San Jose.
In 2007, the couple became part of the Russian television show "Dancing on Ice. The Velvet Season." Marina's partner was actor Anatoly Zhuravlev. Having received the invitation, the ex-champions had long doubted whether to agree to the project. However, they did not regret, once again finding themselves in the familiar atmosphere of competition.
