Łukasz Zalewski

Łukasz Zalewski
Personal information
Country represented United Kingdom
Poland
Born (1977-05-25) 25 May 1977
Gdańsk, Poland
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 1 1⁄2 in)
Partner Julie Keeble
Jolanta Bury
Coach Garry Alan Hoppe
Choreographer Tatiana Tarasova
Training locations London, England
Farmingdale, United States
Began skating 1984
Retired 2000

Łukasz Zalewski (Polish pronunciation: [ˈwukaʂ zaˈlɛfski]; born 25 May 1977) is a Polish former competitive ice dancer. Skating with Julie Keeble for the United Kingdom, he became the 1999 Karl Schäfer Memorial champion, 1999 Skate Israel bronze medalist, and 2000 British national champion. During his career with Keeble and with Jolanta Bury for Poland, Zalewski competed in the final segment at four ISU Championships.

Personal life

Zalewski was born on 25 May 1977 in Gdańsk, Poland.[1] He began living in England in 1991 and studied computer science at London University.[2]

Career

Early career

Zalewski began learning to skate in 1984.[1] Early in his career, he represented Poland with Jolanta Bury. The two placed 19th at the 1995 World Junior Championships, held in November 1994 in Budapest, Hungary, and won the silver medal at the European Youth Olympic Days in February 1995 in Andorra la Vella.

Continuing in the junior ranks, Bury/Zalewski took silver at the 1995 Blue Swords and then placed 7th at the 1996 World Junior Championships, held in late 1995 in Brisbane, Australia. They began appearing on the senior level in the 1996–1997 season. They would win two national bronze medals before parting ways.[3]

Partnership with Keeble

In 1998, Zalewski was partnered with British ice dancer Julie Keeble by their coach, Garry Alan Hoppe, in London, England.[2] The duo competed on the senior level, representing the United Kingdom internationally. In the 1998–1999 season, they placed fourth at the British Championships, a few weeks after beginning their partnership.[2]

The following season, Keeble/Zalewski won gold at the 1999 Karl Schäfer Memorial in October, gold at the British Championships in November,[2] and bronze at the 1999 Skate Israel in December. In February, the duo finished 16th at the 2000 European Championships, held in Vienna, Austria. In March, they qualified to the free dance at the 2000 World Championships in Nice, France; they ranked 23rd in the original dance, 21st in the free dance, and 21st overall.

Keeble and Zalewski decided to retire from competition in August 2000.[4][5]

Programs

(with Keeble)

Season Original dance Free dance
1999–2000
[1]
    		Medley
    by ABBA

    Competitive highlights

    With Keeble for the United Kingdom

    International[1]
    Event 1998–1999 1999–2000
    World Championships21st
    European Championships16th
    Karl Schäfer Memorial1st
    Skate Israel3rd
    National[1]
    British Championships4th1st
    Polish Championships3rd

    With Bury for Poland

    International[3]
    Event 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98
    Czech Skate6th
    Schäfer Memorial15th
    Skate Israel5th
    Autumn Trophy10th
    Basler Cup4th
    PFSA Trophy8th
    International: Junior[3]
    World Junior Champ.19th7th
    Blue Swords2nd J
    EYOF2nd J
    P. Roman Memorial3rd J
    PFSA Trophy3rd J
    National[3]
    Polish Championships3rd3rd
    J = Junior level

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Julie KEEBLE / Lukasz ZALEWSKI". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 April 2017.
    2. 1 2 3 4 Hubbard, Alan (14 November 1999). "Ice Skating: K and Z draw from tracings of T and D". The Independent. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017.
    3. 1 2 3 4 "Jolanta BURY / Lukasz ZALEWSKI". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 April 2017.
    4. ↑ Hubbard, Alan (19 August 2000). "Skaters get the cold shoulder". The Independent. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017.
    5. ↑ Foster, Peter (21 August 2000). "Cash crisis leaves skaters on thin ice". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017.
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