Diana Davis

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 junior national bronze medalist, finished in the top five at the 2020 World Junior Figure Skating Championships, and competed at the 2019–20 Junior Grand Prix Final.

For the character of the same name, see Diana Davis (Sliders).

Diana Davis
Davis/Smolkin at the 2019–20 JGP Final
Personal information
Native nameДиана Сергеевна Дэвис
Full nameDiana Sergeevna Davis
Country represented Russia
Born (2003-01-16) 16 January 2003
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Home townMoscow, Russia
ResidenceNovi, Michigan, United States
Height1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
PartnerGleb Smolkin
Former partnerDenis Pechuzhkin, Fedor Varlamov
CoachIgor Shpilband, Pasquale Camerlengo, Adrienne Lenda, Denis Samokhin
Former coachSvetlana Alekseeva, Elena Kustarova, Olga Riabinina, Eteri Tutberidze
ChoreographerIgor Shpilband, Pasquale Camerlengo
Skating clubSambo-70
Former skating clubOlimpiets SC, Balashikha
Training locationsNovi, Michigan
Former training locationsMoscow, Russia
Began skating2005
ISU personal best scores
Combined total165.22
2020 Junior Worlds
Short dance66.53
2020 Junior Worlds
Free dance98.69
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 only child of celebrated Russian single skating coach Eteri Tutberidze.

As a toddler, Davis was diagnosed with 3rd degree sensorineural hearing loss caused by incorrectly prescribed antibiotics. She underwent medical treatment in Germany, but her hearing could not be fully restored. As a result of the disease, she has underdeveloped coordination and relies partially on lip-reading to communicate. However, the disability does not affect her ability to hear music.[1] On 18 December 2019, Davis announced on Instagram that she'd cured her hearing loss on her own and stated that she could "hear perfectly, and maybe better than ordinary people."

Davis is close friends with 2018 Olympic champion and former teammate Alina Zagitova.[2] Her hobbies include photography, watching TV series, dance, and listening to music.[3]

Career

Early years

Davis' mother, Eteri Tutberidze, took her to an ice rink for the first time when she was just 2 years old. Although Davis initially wanted to pursue synchronized swimming, she began training as a skater at the age of six as it was her only opportunity to spend time with her mother.[4] She was initially coached by her mother as a single skater in Moscow; however, she switched to ice dance in 2016 due to Tutberidze's concern for her safety performing jump elements given her lack of coordination.[5]

Davis teamed up with her first partner, Denis Pechuzhkin, another former Tutberidze student, during the 2016–17 season. The partnership was short lived, lasting only six months before Davis found a new partner Fedor Varlamov. Davis/Varlamov skated together for the 2017–18 season and only competed domestically before also breaking up. During the partnership, Davis was awarded the title of the Master of Sports of the Russian Federation. In 2018, Davis teamed up with her current partner, Gleb Smolkin.

2018–19 season: International junior debut

Davis/Smolkin made their junior international debut in September 2018 at the 2018 JGP Croatia. The team finished third overall at the event behind Russian teammates Elizaveta Khudaiberdieva / Nikita Nazarov in first and Georgian competitors Maria Kazakova / Georgy Reviya in second, but despite their podium placement did not receive a second JGP assignment.[6]

The team competed three more times internationally during the season, finishing third in the junior event at the 2018 Volvo Open Cup and second at both the 2018 Tallinn Trophy (junior) and the 2018 Russian-Chinese Youth Winter Games. At the 2019 Russian Junior Figure Skating Championships in February, they finished ninth.[6]

2019–20 season

In the summer before the start of the season, Davis and Smolkin relocated their training base from Moscow to Novi, Michigan to work with Igor Shpilband and Pasquale Camerlengo. The team opened their season in August at the 2019 JGP United States where they won the silver medal behind American training-mates Avonley Nguyen / Vadym Kolesnik. At their second assignment, 2019 JGP Russia, the team again finished second overall, this time behind fellow Russian competitors Elizaveta Shanaeva / Devid Naryzhnyy, and with 26 qualifying points they advanced to the 2019–20 Junior Grand Prix Final. The team competed just once more before the Junior Grand Prix Final, taking the junior title at the 2019 Volvo Open Cup.

At the 2019–20 Junior Grand Prix Final, Davis/Smolkin entered the competition as the bottom seeded team and had a disappointing outing, finishing sixth in both segments of competition and sixth overall. However, they regrouped in the interim between the Final and the 2020 Russian Junior Figure Skating Championships and managed to earn the bronze medal at junior nationals, earning a spot on Russian team for the 2020 World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

At Junior Worlds in March, Davis/Smolkin scored personal bests in both segments of competition as well as overall, and finished a respectable fifth.

2020–21 season

After Davis sustained an ankle fracture in July 2020, her long-term recovery and a subsequent illness delayed Davis/Smolkin's return to full-time training.[7] They did not compete at the 2021 Russian Junior Championships in January, but plan to return to Russia for the Russian Cup Final in March.[8]

Programs

With Smolkin
Season Rhythm dance Free dance Exhibition
2019–2020
[3]
2018–2019
[9]

Career highlights

JGP: Junior Grand Prix

With Smolkin
International [10]
Event 18–19 19–20
Junior Worlds5th
JGP Final6th
JGP Czech Republic3rd
JGP Russia2nd
JGP U.S.2nd
Tallinn Trophy2nd J
Volvo Open Cup3rd J1st J
National[10]
Russian Junior Champ.9th3rd
Levels: J = Junior
TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew

Detailed results

Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships.

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+1 Этери ТУТБЕРИДЗЕ и Евгения МЕДВЕДЕВА" [1+1 Eteri Tutberidze and Evgenia Medvedeva] (in Russian). Match TV.
  2. ""Папа часто приезжает": как живет дочь Тутберидзе". MSN Sport. GazetaRu.
  3. "Diana DAVIS / Gleb SMOLKIN: 2019/2020". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 6 July 2020.
  4. "Диана Дэвис". 24 SMI.
  5. "Дочь Тутберидзе рассказала, что смогла побороть свою болезнь". Ria News. 18 December 2019.
  6. "DIANA DAVIS". Rink Results.
  7. "2021 Russian Junior Championships". International Figure Skating Magazine. 21 January 2021.
  8. "Дочь Тутберидзе с партнером планируют выступить в финале Кубка России" [Tutberidze's daughter and partner plan to compete in the final of the Cup of Russia]. Sport24 (in Russian). 27 January 2021.
  9. "Diana DAVIS / Gleb SMOLKIN: 2018/2019". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 March 2019.
  10. "Diana DAVIS / Gleb SMOLKIN: Competition Results". International Skating Union.
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