Galina Efremenko ( Maniachenko (: Halyna Yefremenko (Manyachenko); born 23 December 1980) is a Ukrainian former competitive figure skater. She competed as Galina Maniachenko from 1993 until 2005 when she began competing under her married name, Efremenko. She won the bronze medal at the 2003 Cup of Russia, gold medals at the 2000 Nebelhorn Trophy, 2003 Karl Schäfer Memorial, 2000 and 2003 Ondrej Nepela Memorial, and three Ukrainian national titles. She competed twice at the Winter Olympics, placing 12th in 2002. Her highest placement at the European Championships was 4th in 2002.
Career For most of her career, she competed under her birth name, Galina Maniachenko. In the early 1990s, she competed in pair skating with Evgeni Zhigurski, coached by Nina Mozer. The pair won the bronze medal at the 1994 World Junior Championships. However, in 1995 she was severely injured after her partner's blade hit her face while they were practicing side-by-side camel spins. Maniachenko retired from skating but after a year and a half she decided to return to competition as a singles skater.
Maniachenko won the Ukrainian national title three times and competed at two Olympics (2002, 2006). She won gold medals at Nebelhorn Trophy, Karl Schäfer Memorial, Ondrej Nepela Memorial, and silver medals at the Winter Universiade and Golden Spin of Zagreb. Maniachenko won a Grand Prix bronze medal at 2003 Cup of Russia. At the European Championships, she finished as high as fourth in 2002. In 2005, she began competing as Galina Efremenko. She had a number of injuries towards the end of her career. After competing at her second Olympics, she decided to retire from competition.
Personal life In the summer of 2005, she married pentathlete Mikhail Efremenko and took his name. By marriage, she is related to fellow skater Elena Liashenko who married her husband's brother, Andrei Efremenko. After retiring from competition, she began coaching in Latvia and gave birth to a daughter in 2007. Her daughter's godmother is Aliona Savchenko.
Programs Season Short program Free skating 2005–2006 Requiem from Star and Death of Joaquin Murietta by Alexey Rybnikov Sarabande by George Frideric Handel Prayer by Sergei Grimalsky Sarabande by George Frideric Handel 2003–2005 Funeral for a Friend by Elton John Musa Ler by Ara Gevorgyan performed by American Philharmonic Orchestra 2002–2003 Una Musica Brutal by Astor Piazzolla Madame Claude II by Francis Lai 2000–2002 Schindler's List by John Williams Well Balanced Heya Heya by Oliver Shanti
Competitive highlights Singles career Results International Event 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 Olympics 12th 20th Worlds 21st 31st 17th 16th 20th Europeans 15th 8th 4th 6th 13th 6th GP Bompard 8th GP Cup of Russia 8th 7th 3rd 6th GP NHK Trophy 5th GP Skate America 10th GP Skate Canada 6th 6th Crystal Skate 1st Golden Spin 2nd Karl Schäfer 1st Nebelhorn 1st 5th Ondrej Nepela 1st 1st Skate Israel 5th Universiade 7th 2nd International: Junior Junior Worlds WD JGP Czech Rep. 7th JGP Slovenia 3rd EYOF 9th National Ukrainian 4th 3rd 4th 1st 1st 2nd 1st GP = Grand Prix; JGP = Junior Grand Prix; WD = Withdrew
Pairs career (with Evgeni Zhigurski)
Event 1993–1994 World Junior Championships 3rd
References
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