Isadora Williams
Williams in 2019
Full nameIsadora Marie Williams
Born (1996-02-08) 8 February 1996 (age 28)
Marietta, Georgia, U.S.
HometownAshburn, Virginia, U.S.
Height1.62 m (5 ft 4 in)
Figure skating career
Country Brazil (2009–2021)
 United States (till 2009)
CoachIgor Lukanin, Kristin Fraser
Skating clubBrazilian Ice Sports Federation
Began skating2000
RetiredOctober 23, 2021

Isadora Marie Williams (born 8 February 1996) is a Brazilian-American figure skater who represents Brazil in ladies' singles. She is the 2017 Sofia Trophy champion, the 2019 Toruń Cup silver medalist, the 2018 Volvo Open Cup silver medalist, the 2016 Santa Claus Cup silver medalist, and the 2016 Sportland Trophy silver medalist.

She placed 30th at the 2014 Winter Olympics and 24th at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Williams is the first figure skater from Brazil to compete at the Olympics[1] and the first South American skater to ever reach the free skating segment at the games.[2] She retired from competition in October 2021, after failing to qualify to the 2022 Winter Olympics due to a foot injury.[2]

Personal life

Williams was born in Marietta, Georgia.[3] Isadora was raised in the suburbs of Washington, DC. She has Brazilian citizenship through her mother, who is from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, and also lived in Brazil for two years as a child.[1] Isadora Williams also has a very large family that lives in Brazil, which she visits frequently.[4] She majored in attends Montclair State University in New Jersey.[1]

Career

Isadora Williams began skating at the age of 5 falling in love with the sport[4] while skating in a public session at the Cooler Ice Rink in Alpharetta, Georgia. She competed domestically for the United States as a child at the juvenile through the intermediate levels until 2009.[5]

Williams trains four hours a day with coach Andrei Kriukov. She has all five triple jumps (Salchow, toe loop, loop, flip, and Lutz) since Worlds 2010. She won the bronze medal at the 2012 Golden Spin of Zagreb.

At the 2010 World Junior Championships, Williams became the third skater in any discipline to represent Brazil at the event. Her highest Junior Worlds placement was 16th in 2012.[6]

In September 2013, Williams competed at the Nebelhorn Trophy, the final qualifying competition for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. She placed 8th in the short program and 14th in the free skate, finishing 12th overall. As a result of her placement, Brazil received one of the six remaining spots for countries which had not previously qualified for a ladies' entry. This was the first ever ladies' figure skating Olympics entry for Brazil.[7] Williams finished in last place (30th) at the Olympic contest.

In the 2016-2017 season, Williams earned the first gold medal for a Brazilian skater in an international competition at the 2017 Sofia Trophy.

In 2017, she placed 5th overall at Nebelhorn to once again qualify for the 2018 Winter Olympics.[8] Also in 2017 she placed 2nd at Volvo Open Cup, competition held in Riga, Latvia.[9]

During the Olympic tournament, Williams made history by finishing 17th in the short program, enough to become the first Brazilian and South American to ever take part in the skating final.[2] She placed 24th in the Free Skate and placed 24th overall. [10]

She also became the first Brazilian and South American female skater to ever advance to the final segment of a senior World Championship at 2019 Worlds in Japan. She placed 24th in the short and in the free, finishing 24th overall.

In 2021, Williams failed to qualify to the Olympic Games for a third time after withdrawing from the free skating at Nebelhorn, where she placed 32nd after the short program. Later, she claimed her foot had become injured during the off season and it was taking a long time to heal. This was her last international competition, as she announced her retirement plans shortly after.[2] She stated her wish was that the last competition of her career would be the 2021 Brazilian Nationals,[2] but she didn't manage to recover in time and withdrew her entry.[11]

Programs

Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2021–2022
[12]
2019–2021
2018–2019
[13]
2017–2018
[14]
2016–2017
[15]
  • Nyah
    (from Mission: Impossible II)
    by Hans Zimmer
2015–2016
[16]
2014–2015
[17]
  • Brazilian medley
    by Jorge Ben Jor
2013–2014
[18]
  • Brazilian medley
    by Jorge Ben Jor
2012–2013
[19]
  • Maria and the Violin's String
    by Ashram
  • Memoirs of a Geisha
    by John Williams
2011–2012
[20]
2009–2011
[21][22]
  • Sheherazade
    by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Results

CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

International[23]
Event 09–10 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14 14–15 15–16 16–17 17–18 18–19 19–20 20–21 21–22
Olympics 30th 24th
Worlds 25th 30th 35th 24th C
Four Continents 18th 17th
CS Golden Spin WD
CS Nebelhorn WD 5th WD
CS U.S. Classic 14th 12th
CS Volvo Cup 8th
Asian Open 5th
Autumn Classic 7th
Bavarian Open 5th
Cranberry Cup WD
Golden Spin 3rd 6th
Ice Star 4th 5th
Nebelhorn Trophy 11th 12th
Philadelphia 2nd 8th 6th
Santa Claus Cup 4th 2nd 5th
Sofia Trophy 1st
Sportland Trophy 2nd
Toruń Cup 2nd 6th
U.S. Classic 5th
Volvo Open 2nd 10th
International: Junior[23]
Junior Worlds 41st 16th 26th
JGP Germany 27th
JGP Italy 18th
National
Brazilian Champs. 1st 1st
WD = Withdrew; C = Event cancelled

References

  1. ^ a b c "N.J. college student seeks Olympic glory for Brazil". NJ.com. Retrieved 2018-02-10.
  2. ^ a b c d e Vieira, Sheila (2021-10-25). "Patinadora brasileira Isadora Williams revela planos de aposentadoria" [Brazilian skater Isadora Williams reveal retirement plans]. Olympics.com (in Brazilian Portuguese).
  3. ^ "Isadora WILLIAMS". Sochi2014.com. Organizing Committee of the XXII Olympic Winter Games and XI Paralympic Winter Games of 2014 in Sochi. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014.
  4. ^ a b Luchianov, Vladislav (October 7, 2013). "Williams puts Brazil on Olympic skating map". IceNetwork.com. Archived from the original on February 23, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2013.
  5. ^ "Isadora WILLIAMS". RinkResults.com. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  6. ^ "ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2012".
  7. ^ "Nebelhorn Trophy – Olympic Qualifying Event – Review". International Skating Union. September 28, 2013. Archived from the original on October 28, 2013.
  8. ^ "Craine seals Pyeongchang 2018 place with women's Nebelhorn Trophy success". www.insidethegames.biz. 30 September 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  9. ^ "Isadora Williams leva ouro e prata em competição preparatória na Letônia". Globoesporte. 11 November 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  10. ^ "Brasileira faz história em PyeongChang e vai à final da patinação". Folha de S.Paulo. 21 February 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  11. ^ Longo, Gustavo (2021-12-21). "Sem Isadora, patinação artística do Brasil encontra seu caminho" [Without Isadora, Brazilian figure skating finds its way]. Olimpíada Todo Dia (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  12. ^ "Isadora WILLIAMS: 2021/2022". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021.
  13. ^ "Isadora WILLIAMS: 2018/2019". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 4, 2021.
  14. ^ "Isadora WILLIAMS: 2017/2018". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on October 17, 2017.
  15. ^ "Isadora WILLIAMS: 2016/2017". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 30, 2017.((cite web)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  16. ^ "Isadora WILLIAMS: 2015/2016". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 28, 2016.((cite web)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  17. ^ "Isadora WILLIAMS: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 21, 2015.((cite web)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  18. ^ "Isadora WILLIAMS: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 22, 2014.((cite web)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  19. ^ "Isadora WILLIAMS: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 22, 2013.((cite web)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  20. ^ "Isadora WILLIAMS: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on September 28, 2012.((cite web)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  21. ^ "Isadora WILLIAMS: 2010/2011". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on August 16, 2011.((cite web)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  22. ^ "Isadora WILLIAMS: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on March 13, 2010.((cite web)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  23. ^ a b "Competition Results: Isadora WILLIAMS". International Skating Union.

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