Diana Davis (figure skater)
Diana Sergeevna Davis (Russian: Диана Сергеевна Дэвис: born 16 January 2003) is an American-born Russian ice dancer who represents Russia. With her partner Gleb Smolkin, she is the 2020 Russian national junior bronze medalist and a 2019–20 JGP Final qualifier.
| Diana Davis | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Davis and Smolkin at the 2019–20 JGP Final | |
| Personal information | |
| Native name | Диана Сергеевна Дэвис |
| Full name | Diana Sergeevna Davis |
| Country represented |  |
| Born | 16 January 2003 Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
| Home town | Moscow, Russia |
| Residence | Novi, Michigan, United States |
| Height | 160 cm (5 ft 3 in) |
| Partner | Gleb Smolkin |
| Former partner | Denis Pechuzhkin Fedor Varlamov |
| Coach | Igor Shpilband, Pasquale Camerlengo, Adrienne Lenda, D. Samokhin |
| Former coach | Eteri Tutberidze, Svetlana Alekseeva, Elena Kustarova, Olga Riabinina |
| Choreographer | Igor Shpilband, Pasquale Camerlengo |
| Skating club | Sambo-70 |
| Former skating club | 'Avangard Olimpiets' Balashikha |
| Training locations | Novi, Michigan |
| Former training locations | Moscow, Russia |
| Began skating | 2005 |
| ISU personal best scores | |
| Combined total | 165.22 2020 Junior Worlds |
| Short dance | 66.53 2020 Junior Worlds |
| Free dance | 98.69 2020 Junior Worlds |
Personal life
Davis was born on 16 January 2003 in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, but was raised in Moscow, Russia. She holds dual Russian and American citizenship. She is the daughter of the Russian coach Eteri Tutberidze. According to Diana, she is of Russian, Georgian and Armenian descent. When Davis was 2.5 years old, she was diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss of the 3rd degree which resulted from a medical error: it was a complication after certain antibiotics were given to her. She underwent medical treatment in Germany, yet, her hearing abilities could not be restored. As a result of the disease, she has an underdeveloped coordination, she can hear but partially has to lipread: some of the words have to be repeated to her and some new ones have to be written on paper. At the same time, the disability does not affect Davis' ability to hear music which allows her to compete on national and international levels.[1]
On 18 December 2019 via Instagram Stories, Davis announced that she no longer has any hearing problems; she said she 'can hear perfectly and maybe better than ordinary people'.[2]
She is close friends with Alina Zagitova, the 2018 Olympic Champion and her former teammate.[3] In December 2019, in her interview with Tatler magazine Russia, Davis announced that, contrary to all the rumors, she has never been in a relationship with and is not dating her on-ice partner Gleb Smolkin.[4] Her hobbies include photography, TV series, dance and music.[5]
Career
Early years
Davis' mother took her to an ice rink for the first time when she was just 2 years old. Although Davis initially wanted to do synchronized swimming, she began skating professionally at the age of six as it was the only opportunity to spend time with her mother.[6]
She was initially coached by her mother at the Olympic Reserve Sports school no. 37 ‘Khrustalniy’, now known as Sambo-70. However, due to her disability, single skating proved to be dangerous and unsuccessful endeavor, and eventually, her mother suggested that she tries ice dance. Eteri Tutberidze feared for her daughter's safety due to her lack of coordination.[7]
Partnership with Denis Pechuzhkin
Davis' ice dance career started in 2016. Her first partner was Denis Pechuzkin, a student of Eteri Tutberidze who also transferred to ice dance. Their partnership was short and lasted less than 6 months but during this period Diana was awarded the title of the Master of Sports of the Russian Federation.
Partnership with Fedor Varlamov
Davis has been in partnership with Fedor Varlamov for the season 2017–18. Together they became medalists of the 2017 junior Cup of Russia assignments: they won a silver medal in Moscow and bronze medal in Sochi.
Partnership with Gleb Smolkin
In 2018, it was revealed that Davis was teaming up with Gleb Smolkin and the pair was to be coached by Svetlana Alekseeva, Elena Kustarova, and Olga Riabinina at SC ‘Avangard Olimpiets’ Balashikha.
The partnership with Smolkin was rather successful: in the season 2018–19 the pair finished 3rd at the ISU JGP 2018 in Ostrava, as well as placing 3rd and 2nd at Volvo Open Cup 2018 in Riga and Tallinn Trophy 2018 in Tallinn respectively.
In 2019–20, they became silver medalists of the ISU JGP assignments in Lake Placid and Chelyabinsk, thereby qualifying for the ISU JGP Finals in Torino. The finals were not as successful for the pair as the assignments and they only placed 6th. However, Davis-Smolkin won the Volvo Open Cup 2019 in Riga.
In 2019, the pair relocated to Novi, Michigan, USA to be coached by Igor Shpilband, Pasquale Camerlengo, Adrienne Lenda, and Denis Samokhin.[5]
On June 3 2020 it was officially announced that Davis/Smolkin left Avangard Olimpiets to train in Sambo-70.
Career highlights
JGP: Junior Grand Prix
With Smolkin
| International [8] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Event | 18–19 | 19–20 | |
| Junior Worlds | 5th | ||
| JGP Final | 6th | ||
| JGP Czech Republic | 3rd | ||
| JGP Russia | 2nd | ||
| JGP U.S. | 2nd | ||
| Tallinn Trophy | 2nd J | ||
| Volvo Open Cup | 3rd J | 1st J | |
| National[8] | |||
| Russian Junior Champ. | 9th | 3rd | |
| Levels: J = Junior TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew | |||
Detailed results
Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships.
With Smolkin
Junior results
| 2019–2020 season | ||||
| Date | Event | RD | FD | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2–8 March 2020 | 2020 World Junior Championships | 5 66.53 |
5 98.69 |
5 165.22 |
| 4–8 February 2020 | 2020 Russian Junior Championships | 3 70.91 |
3 110.06 |
3 180.97 |
| 5–8 December 2019 | 2019 Junior Grand Prix Final | 6 59.89 |
6 92.32 |
6 152.21 |
| 5–10 November 2019 | 2019 Volvo Open Cup | 1 68.00 |
1 99.17 |
1 167.17 |
| 11–14 September 2019 | 2019 JGP Russia | 2 64.79 |
3 93.45 |
2 158.24 |
| 28–31 August 2019 | 2019 JGP United States | 2 62.12 |
2 98.05 |
2 160.17 |
| 2018–2019 season | ||||
| Date | Event | RD | FD | Total |
| 31 Jan. – 4 Feb. 2019 | 2019 Russian Junior Championships | 9 60.31 |
9 93.78 |
9 154.09 |
| 20–23 February 2019 | 2018 Russian-Chinese Youth Winter Games | 1 61.15 |
2 94.05 |
2 155.20 |
| 25 Nov. – 2 Dec. 2018 | 2019 Tallinn Trophy | 2 62.16 |
2 89.00 |
2 151.16 |
| 6–11 November 2018 | 2018 Volvo Open Cup | 3 61.78 |
3 92.65 |
3 154.43 |
| 26–29 September 2018 | 2018 JGP Czech Republic | 3 56.55 |
3 92.07 |
3 148.62 |
References
- "'1+1' Eteri Tutberidze and Evgenia Medvedeva, Match TV".
- "Diana Davis Instagram page".
- ""Папа часто приезжает": как живет дочь Тутберидзе". MSN Sport. GazetaRu.
- "Дочь Этери Тутберидзе Диана Дэвис: "Звоню маме по вайберу три раза в день"". Tatler Russia.
- "Diana DAVIS / Gleb SMOLKIN". International Skating Union.
- "Диана Дэвис". 24 SMI.
- "Дочь Тутберидзе рассказала, что смогла побороть свою болезнь". Ria News. 18 December 2019.
- "Diana DAVIS / Gleb SMOLKIN: Competition Results". International Skating Union.