Michal Březina

Michal Březina
Březina at the 2013 European Championships
Personal information
Country represented Czech Republic
Born (1990-03-30) 30 March 1990
Brno, Czechoslovakia
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Coach Rafael Arutyunyan, Vera Arutyunyan, Nadia Kanaeva
Former coach Karel Fajfr, Viktor Petrenko, Petr Starec, Karol Divín, Alena Knothová
Choreographer Pasquale Camerlengo, Benoît Richaud
Former choreographer Tom Dickson, Jeffrey Buttle, Salome Brunner, Stephane Lambiel, Frank Dehne, Hana Charvátová
Skating club VSK Technika Brn
Former skating club TJ Stadion Brno
Training locations Lakewood, California
Former training locations Oberstdorf
Brno
Hackensack, New Jersey
Began skating 1997
ISU personal best scores
Combined total 246.07
2018 Olympics
Short program 87.67
2012 Worlds
Free skate 165.98
2018 Worlds
Medal record
Representing  Czech Republic
Figure skating: Men's singles
European Championships
2013 ZagrebMen's singles
World Junior Championships
2009 SofiaMen's singles

Michal Březina (Czech pronunciation: [ˈmɪxal ˈbr̝ɛzɪna]; born 30 March 1990) is a Czech figure skater. He is the 2013 European bronze medalist, 2011 Skate America champion, 2009 World Junior silver medalist, and 2010 Czech national champion. He is also the winner of the 2014-15 ISU Challenger Series. Michal represented the Czech Republic at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Personal life

Michal Březina was born on 30 March 1990 in Brno.[1] He is the son of Edita Březinová and Rudolf Březina, a figure skating coach.[2] His younger sister, Eliška Březinová, competes in ladies' single skating.[3][4] He intends to study sports at university and to eventually become a skating coach.[5]

Březina was the best man at the wedding of Anna Cappellini and Ondřej Hotárek in the summer of 2015.[6]

On May 19, 2015, Brezina announced his engagement to his girlfriend, fellow figure skater Danielle Montalbano.[7] They tied the knot on June 10, 2017 at The Royalton.

Career

Březina at the 2009 Skate Canada

Early years

Březina was initially interested in ice hockey after watching the 1998 Winter Olympics but his father advised him to learn to skate first, and after a few months, he dropped hockey to focus on figure skating.[5]

Březina first landed a triple Salchow at the age of 12, and a triple Axel at 15.[5] In practice, he has worked on a quad toe loop and quad Salchow.[5] He trained in his hometown of Brno with coach Petr Starec and in Oberstdorf, Germany with Karel Fajfr.[8][9][10]

2007–2008 season

Březina won the 2007 Nebelhorn Trophy over compatriot and reigning champion, Tomáš Verner. Two weeks later, he won his first Junior Grand Prix medal, a silver, in Chemnitz. Březina placed 16th at his first European Championships. He missed training time because of a broken wrist, but was able to compete at the World Junior Championships, where he was 5th.[11]

2008–2009 season

Březina won both his junior Grand Prix events, but was forced to miss the Junior Grand Prix Final and the Czech national championships due to a right knee injury that required surgery.[12] He returned in time for the 2009 Europeans, where he finished 10th, and then set a new personal best at the 2009 Junior Worlds to win the silver medal behind Adam Rippon.

2009–2010 season

Březina debuted on the senior Grand Prix circuit, finishing fourth at the 2009 Skate Canada International. He won the bronze medal at 2009 NHK Trophy, and defeated Tomáš Verner to win the Czech Championship. He finished 4th at the 2010 European Championships.[13] At the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver he came in 10th. Competing at his first senior World Championships, he earned a fourth-place finish with a new personal best score of 236.06.

2010–2011 season

Březina was forced to withdraw from the 2010 Cup of China after undergoing surgery for a varicose vein in his abdomen.[3][14] He later withdrew from the 2010 Trophée Eric Bompard as well. He took silver behind Verner at the Czech Championships. At the 2011 European Championships, Březina placed second in the short program but dropped to 8th overall following the free skate. At the 2011 World Championships, he successfully landed two quads, a Salchow and a toe loop, in the long program – his first quads landed in competition – but fell on two jumps toward the end of the program. He finished fourth at the event for the second straight year.[15][16]

Březina at the 2012 Rostelecom Cup

2011–2012 season

Březina experienced some boot problems during the off-season.[10] He trained mainly in Oberstdorf.[3] He began his season at 2011 Nebelhorn Trophy where he won the silver medal. Skaters who had placed in the top six at the 2011 Worlds were given a newly introduced option of competing at three Grand Prix events.[17] Březina elected to do so, and was assigned to 2011 Skate America, 2011 Trophée Eric Bompard, and 2011 Cup of Russia.[10] At Skate America, he won the short program by 8.39 points and placed third in the free skate to win the gold medal overall. Březina won the bronze medal in France which qualified him for the Grand Prix Final.[18] He then placed fourth in Cup of Russia. He was sixth at the Grand Prix Final. At the 2012 World Championships, Březina picked up a small silver medal for the short program and finished 6th overall after the free skate. In April 2012, he changed coaches from Starec and Fajfr to Viktor Petrenko.[19][20] He trained at the Ice House in Hackensack, New Jersey.[21]

2012–2013 season

Březina finished 6th at 2012 Skate America and won the bronze medal at the 2012 Rostelecom Cup. He withdrew from the Czech Championships due to a fever.[22] He dislocated his shoulder during practice on 21 January at the 2013 European Championships but went on to win bronze, his first European medal.[23]

2013–2014 season

In February 2014, Březina placed tenth at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.[12] His next event was the 2014 World Championships in Saitama, Japan. He withdrew after the short program on 26 March, having pulled ligaments in his right ankle on the triple flip take-off.[24] His ankle was immediately put into a cast and he recovered in two weeks.[25] Due to the high cost of training in the United States,[25] he decided in June 2014 to rejoin Karel Fajfr in Oberstdorf.[26]

2014–2015 season to present

After finishing 7th at the 2014 Skate Canada International, Březina won the bronze medal at the 2014 Rostelecom Cup.

In the spring of 2016, Březina decided to train with Rafael Arutyunyan in California.[27] In December 2016, he placed first in the short program at the Four Nationals; he withdrew after injuring his arm during the free skate.[28]

Březina twisted his ankle three weeks prior to the 2017 World Championships in Helsinki.[29] He finished 18th at the event in Finland, earning a spot for the Czech Republic at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Programs

Březina at the 2013 European Figure Skating Championships
Březina at the 2009 Skate Canada
Březina at the 2012 Rostelecom Cup
Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2017–2018
[30][31][32]
2016–2017
[27][1]

Once Upon a Time (remix)
by Ennio Morricone
choreo. by Tom Dickson

2015–2016
[34]
  • The Way You Look Tonight
    by Jerome Kern, Dorothy Fields
    performed by Frank Sinatra
    choreo. by Jeffrey Buttle
2014–2015
[25][35][36]
2013–2014
[37]
2012–2013
[21][38]
  • In the Hall of the Mountain King
    by Edvard Grieg
    performed by Epica
    choreo. by Pasquale Camerlengo
  • New York, New York remix
2011–2012
[39]
  • The Untouchables
    by Ennio Morricone
    choreo. by Pasquale Camerlengo[10]
2010–2011
[40]
  • Japanese Kodo Drums
    choreo. by Pasquale Camerlengo[8]
2009–2010
[41]
  • An American in Paris
    by George Gershwin
  • Feeling Good
    by Michael Bublé
2007–2009
[42][43]
2006–2007
[44]
  • The Matrix

Competitive highlights

Brezina with the other medalists at the 2011 Skate America

GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

2009–10 to present

International[45]
Event 09–10 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14 14–15 15–16 16–17 17–18 18–19
Olympics10th10th16th
Worlds4th4th6th10thWD15th9th18th10th
Europeans4th8th4th3rd4th5th10th12th8th
GP Final6th
GP BompardWD3rd5th
GP Cup of ChinaWD10th
GP FinlandTBD
GP NHK Trophy3rd7th9th
GP Rostel. Cup4th3rd3rd
GP Skate America1st6thTBD
GP Skate Canada4th4th7th8th4th6th
CS Finlandia6th
CS Golden Spin2nd
CS Nebelhorn2nd6th
CS U.S. Classic9th2nd
Universiade7th
Bavarian Open1st
Finlandia Trophy4th
Golden Spin2nd
Lombardia Trophy2nd
Nebelhorn Trophy3rd7th2nd5th
NRW Trophy2nd
Seibt Memorial2nd
Slovenia Open1st
National[45]
Czech Champ.1st2nd2ndWD2nd1st1st
Team events
Team Challenge
Cup		3rd T
5th P
Japan Open3rd T
5th P		3rd T
5th P
TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew
T = Team result; P = Personal result. Medals awarded for team result only.

2003–04 to 2008–09

International[45]
Event 03–04 04–05 05–06 06–07 07–08 08–09
Europeans16th10th
Golden Spin5th
Nebelhorn Trophy1st2nd
Schäfer MemorialWD
International: Junior[45]
Junior Worlds16th5th2nd
JGP FinalWD
JGP Austria7th
JGP Czech Rep.16th
JGP France1st
JGP Germany2nd
JGP Hungary12th
JGP Italy1st
JGP Netherlands5th
Gardena3rd J2nd J
EYOF7th J
Grand Prize SNP1st
National[45]
Czech Champ.1st J1st J1st J2nd
J = Junior level; WD = Withdrew

Detailed results

Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships. At team events, medals awarded for team results only.

Senior career

2018–19 season
Date Event SP FS Total
2–4 November 2018 2018 Grand Prix Finland
TBD
TBD
TBD
Oct. 19 – 21, 2018 2018 Skate America
TBD
TBD
TBD
Sept. 12–16, 2018 2018 CS U.S. International Classic 2
79.57		 4
128.70		 2
208.27
2017–18 season
Date Event SP FS Total
19-25 March 2018 2018 World Figure Skating Championships 17
78.01		 8
165.98		 10
243.99
16-17 February 2018 2018 Winter Olympics 9
85.15		 18
160.92		 16
246.07
15-21 January 2018 2018 European Championships 10
72.72		 8
152.48		 8
225.20
November 10–12, 2017 2017 NHK Trophy 9
76.24		 10
144.21		 9
220.45
October 27–29, 2017 2017 Skate Canada International 7
80.34		 4
156.70		 6
237.04
6–8 October 2017 2017 CS Finlandia Trophy 5
77.26		 5
156.02		 6
233.28
September 13–17, 2017 2017 U.S. Classic 7
75.78		 11
118.17		 9
193.95
2016–17 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 29 – April 2, 2017 2017 World Figure Skating Championships 15
80.02		 18
146.24		 18
226.26
February 1–5, 2017 2017 Winter Universiade 8
75.57		 8
149.48		 7
225.05
25–29 January 2017 2017 European Championships 8
78.61		 13
136.91		 12
215.52
November 18–20, 2016 2016 Cup of China 7
75.87		 9
135.91		 10
211.77
October 28–30, 2016 2016 Skate Canada 9
70.36		 4
157.06		 4
227.42
2015–16 season
Date Event SP FS Total
April 22–24, 2016 2016 Team Challenge Cup 8
64.54		 5
158.30		 2T/8P
March 28 – April 3, 2016 2016 World Championships 11
79.29		 10
158.70		 9
237.99
23–27 February 2016 2016 Hellmut Seibt Memorial 1
73.64		 2
138.92		 2
212.56
26–31 January 2016 2016 European Championships 3
84.30		 13
127.51		 10
211.81
18–20 December 2015 Czech Figure Skating Championships 1
68.83		 1
154.72		 1
223.55
November 27–29, 2015 2015 NHK Trophy 5
81.64		 9
140.85		 7
222.49
October 30 – November 1, 2015 2015 GP Skate Canada 5
75.46		 8
143.12		 8
218.58
15–18 October 2015 2015 International Cup of Nice 4
74.21		 4
141.34		 4
215.55
October 9–11, 2015 2015 CS Finlandia Trophy 5
67.48		 4
137.58		 5
205.06
September 24–26, 2015 2015 Nebelhorn Trophy 3
74.12		 6
129.49		 6
203.61
September 17–20, 2015 2015 CS Lombardia Trophy 4
62.54		 1
143.67		 2
206.21
2014–15 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 23–29, 2015 2015 World Championships 10
76.84		 15
136.99		 15
213.84
25–28 February 2015 2015 Hellmut Seibt Memorial 2
70.48		 1
159.97		 1
230.45
26 January – 1 February 2015 2015 European Championships 3
80.86		 7
139.25		 5
220.11
18–21 December 2014 Czech Figure Skating Championships 1
71.97		 1
138.72		 1
210.69
December 4–7, 2014 2014 Golden Spin of Zagreb 1
81.62		 1
158.00		 2
239.62
November 14–16, 2014 2014 Rostelecom Cup 4
80.89		 3
160.34		 3
241.23
October 31 – November 2, 2014 2014 Skate Canada International 7
73.29		 8
134.95		 7
208.24
September 24–27, 2014 2014 CS Nebelhorn Trophy 2
78.27		 1
150.21		 1
228.48
2013–14 season
Date Event SP FS Total
24–30 March 2014 2014 World Championships 23
62.25
WD
WD
February 7–23, 2014 2014 Winter Olympics – Singles 13
81.95		 13
151.67		 10
233.62
15–19 January 2014 2014 European Championships 5
82.80		 4
154.18		 4
236.98
20–22 December 2014 Czech Figure Skating Championships 2
72.81		 2
136.59		 2
209.40
November 15–17, 2013 2013 Trophée Éric Bompard 6
71.91		 4
134.31		 5
206.22
October 24–27, 2013 2013 Skate Canada 7
71.71		 5
146.61		 4
218.32
5 October 2013 2013 Japan Open – 6
125.74		 3T/6P
2012–13 season
Date Event SP FS Total
10–17 March 2013 2013 World Championships 6
83.09		 11
145.91		 10
229.00
23–27 January 2013 2013 European Championships 4
79.84		 2
163.68		 3
243.52
20–22 December 2012 Czech Figure Skating Championships 2
71.65
ＷＤ
ＷＤ
December 5–9, 2012 2012 NRW Trophy 2
70.29		 5
142.80		 2
213.09
November 9–11, 2012 2012 Rostelecom Cup 6
73.83		 4
150.73		 3
224.56
October 19–21, 2012 2012 Skate America 6
69.26		 4
140.41		 6
209.67
6 October 2012 2012 Japan Open – 5
151.53		 3T
September 27–29, 2012 2012 Nebelhorn Trophy 5
67.78		 7
133.93		 5
201.71
2011–12 season
Date Event SP FS Total
26 March – 1 April 2012 2012 World Championships 2
87.67		 7
151.88		 6
239.55
7–12 February 2012 2012 European Championships 6
76.13		 4
153.17		 4
229.30
15–18 December 2011 Czech Figure Skating Championships 1
72.12		 2
135.45		 2
207.57
8–11 December 2011 2011 Grand Prix Final 6
75.26		 6
143.72		 6
218.98
25–27 November 2011 2011 Rostelecom Cup 3
79.01		 3
147.34		 4
226.35
November 18–20, 2011 2011 Trophée Eric Bompard 3
74.32		 4
144.28		 3
218.60
October 21–23, 2011 2011 Skate America 1
79.08		 1
136.92		 1
216.00
September 21–24, 2011 2011 Nebelhorn Trophy 4
69.77		 2
145.23		 2
215.00
2010–11 season
Date Event SP FS Total
24 April – 1 May 2011 2011 World Championships 7
77.50		 5
156.11		 4
233.61
11–15 February 2011 2011 Bavarian Open 1
73.01		 2
122.59		 1
195.60
24–30 January 2011 2011 European Championships 2
76.13		 10
125.26		 8
201.39
16–18 December 2011 Czech Figure Skating Championships 2
71.26		 2
131.50		 2
202.76
8–12 December 2010 2010 Golden Spin of Zagreb 1
55.44		 2
128.20		 2
183.64
2 October 2010 2010 Japan Open – 3
134.90		 3T
September 21–24, 2011 2011 Nebelhorn Trophy 9
55.40		 5
128.91		 7
184.31

References

  1. 1 2 "Michal BREZINA: 2016/2017". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 24 May 2017.
  2. ↑ Krutil, Robin (29 December 2013). "Sága krasobruslařského rodu Březinů pokračuje. Mezi elitu míří Eliška" [Březina family in figure skating]. Mladá fronta DNES (in Czech).
  3. 1 2 3 Golinsky, Reut (3 January 2012). "Michal Březina: "Since Olympics, skating moved on"". Absolute Skating.
  4. ↑ "Eliska BREZINOVA". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 22 September 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Mittan, Barry (6 July 2008). "Brezina Challenges Czech's Verner". GoldenSkate.com. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
  6. ↑ "Our Very Best Wishes". Facebook. International Figure Skating. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  7. ↑ Brezina, Michal. "Brezina announces engagement". Facebook. Facebook. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  8. 1 2 Flade, Tatjana (22 August 2010). "Brezina has realistic ambitions". GoldenSkate.com. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  9. ↑ Luchianov, Vladislav (5 July 2011). "Big things on the horizon for Brezina". Icenetwork. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Flade, Tatjana (14 September 2011). "Michal Březina on the Edge of Success". IFS Magazine. Archived from the original on 9 October 2011.
  11. ↑ "Interview with Michal Brezina, Oberstdorf, July 2008". figureskating-online. 20 July 2008. Archived from the original on 16 March 2012.
  12. 1 2 "Michal BREZINA". Organizing Committee of the XXII Olympic Winter Games. Archived from the original on 6 April 2014.
  13. ↑ Bőd, Titanilla (2010). "Michal Březina: "Practice is like competition for me"". AbsoluteSkating.com. Retrieved 22 December 2010.
  14. ↑ Brannen, Sarah S.; Meekins, Drew (26 October 2010). "The Inside Edge with Sarah and Drew: Brezina, Bates and regattas". Icenetwork.com. Retrieved 20 November 2010.
  15. ↑ "Chan the man, devastation for Daisuke".
  16. ↑ "Chan takes World title with record score".
  17. ↑ "ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series 2011/2012". Archived from the original on 2011-09-20.
  18. ↑ Tikhonova, Yulia (12 December 2011). Михал Бржезина: "Четверной прыжок – это не всё!" [The quad is not everything]. sport.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 17 December 2011.
  19. ↑ "Březina mění trenéry, povede ho Ukrajinec Petrenko?" [Březina changes coaches, will Ukrainian Petrenko guide him?]. Týden (in Czech). 6 April 2012.
  20. ↑ "Petrenko to Coach Czech Skating Star Brezina". RIA Novosti. 10 April 2012.
  21. 1 2 Rutherford, Lynn (25 August 2012). "Brezina happy with move to New Jersey, Petrenko". Icenetwork.
  22. ↑ "Krasobruslař Verner se stal podeváté mistrem ČR" [Figure skater Verner won Czech title]. Česká televize (in Czech). 16 December 2012.
  23. ↑ Bőd, Titanilla; Benáková, Iveta (18 February 2013). "Michal Brezina: "We made a new year's resolution that we would get a medal in Zagreb"". Absolute Skating.
  24. ↑ "Tatsuki Machida (JPN) leads in Men & Aliona Savchenko/Robin Szolkowy (GER) in Pairs". International Skating Union. 26 March 2014. Archived from the original on 30 March 2014.
  25. 1 2 3 Flade, Tatjana (20 August 2014). "Back to the beginning for Brezina". GoldenSkate.com.
  26. ↑ "Březinu už nepovede Petrenko, krasobruslař se vrací k trenéru Fajfrovi" [Březina leaves Petrenko and returns to Fajfr]. Czech News Agency; Mladá fronta DNES (in Czech). 10 June 2014.
  27. 1 2 Luchianov, Vladislav (14 October 2016). "Březina hopes Arutunian gives him push he needs". IceNetwork.com.
  28. ↑ "Březina ve volné jízdě upadl a domácí titul slaví Bělohradský" [Bělohradský wins national title after Březina falls in free skate]. Czech News Agency (in Czech). Deník. 17 December 2016.
  29. ↑ Bőd, Titanilla (21 May 2017). "Michal Březina: "I've proved myself that I'm not a coward"". Absolute Skating.
  30. ↑ Březina, Michal (20 May 2017). "Thank you so much for working with me it was a pleasure and can't wait for the program to settle in and be able to do it fully like you wanted me to! #michalbrezina #lakewoodice #therinks #anaheimducks #newprogram #human #ragnboneman #standbyme #bootstrap #isu" (Instagram).
  31. ↑ Březina, Michal (7 July 2017). "Music selection for season 2017/2018, SP: Kodo, FS: Stand by Me, Human by Rag'n'bone" (facebook).
  32. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2016/2017". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 28 October 2017.
  33. ↑ ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2017 Skate Canada International - Gala Exhibition (Television production). Eurosport. October 29, 2017.
  34. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2015/2016". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016.
  35. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 23 May 2015.
  36. ↑ "2014 Rostelecom Cup: time of glitter and lights, time of Gala". InsideSkating.net. 28 November 2014.
  37. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014.
  38. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 30 August 2013.
  39. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 1 January 2012.
  40. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2010/2011". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 16 August 2011.
  41. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 5 May 2010.
  42. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2008/2009". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 June 2009.
  43. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2007/2008". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 29 May 2008.
  44. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 15 July 2007.
  45. 1 2 3 4 5 "Competition Results: Michal BREZINA". International Skating Union.

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