Pair of Minnesotans Win Gold at International Skating Competition
Last week two Minnesotans won one of the top awards at an international figure skating competition! The pair from Minnesota also has quite a figure skating history. It caused them to move from the country they were both born in!
Their names are Anastasiia and Danil and they're from Shakopee. The two of them have been skating for a long time. Anastasiia told KARE 11 that she's been skating since she was 6 and Danil said he's been skating since he was 3. They didn't start skating together as a pair until 2018.
Both Anastasiia and Danil were born and raised in Ukraine. When Anastasiia was 14 she moved to Minnesota, and Danil moved when he was 15. I'm not sure about Anastasiia, but Danil told KARE 11 that he moved to Minnesota to train with the Team USA Figure Skating coach Trudy Oltmanns. I wouldn't be surprised if Anastasiia had the same goal in mind. Now they're an amazing pair of figure skaters.
The competition they recently skated in is the Golden Spin of Zagreb in Zagreb, Croatia. 14 Americans competed, 2 of them, of course, being Anastasiia and Danil. They took home the gold for the pairs portion of the competition. The silver also went to a pair from the US, Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea.
What about Anastasiia and Danil's family in Ukraine? Naturally, they're worried, but Anastasiia said, "'When you step out on the ice you don't really think about it.'"
Good luck to the pair at their future competitions and I hope their families stay safe in Ukraine!