Yekaterina Gordeeva and Sergey Grinkov

Yekaterina Gordeeva and Sergey Grinkov (respectively, born May 28, 1971, Moscow, Russia, U.S.S.R.; born February 4, 1967, Moscow—died November 20, 1995, Lake Placid, New York, U.S.) were a Russian-born figure-skating pair who gained worldwide acclaim with four world championship titles and two Olympic gold medals.

(Read Scott Hamilton’s Britannica entry on figure skating.)

Gordeeva and Grinkov were teamed at age 11 and 15, respectively, and initially appeared to many critics as an awkward couple owing to a large disparity in height (Grinkov was about a foot [30 cm] taller than Gordeeva). In 1985 they proved the critics wrong by capturing the junior world championship pairs title. The following year they went on to claim the first of four world championships (1986–87 and 1989–90) and were described as lithesome and creative, mature and strong. Their career peaked when they won their first Olympic gold medal with a unanimous vote at the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, but it took a surprising turn in 1990 when, claiming their competitive drive had diminished, they retired as world champions.

(Read Scott Hamilton’s Britannica essay on "Training for Olympic Gold.")

During what turned out to be a hiatus, the pair married in April 1991. Thanks to rule changes in amateur skating, they were able to return to Olympic competition in 1994 at Lillehammer, Norway, where they won a second gold medal despite a few minor errors in their routine. Afterward they immigrated to the United States to skate professionally. Their partnership ended abruptly in November 1995 when Grinkov died of a heart attack while practicing a routine. Gordeeva subsequently pursued a singles skating career. She entered professional skating competitions and appeared on television in skating-themed specials. She also toured with Stars on Ice, the professional skating company cofounded by Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton. She coauthored (with E.M. Swift) My Sergei: A Love Story (1996).