Sophia Shifrin (Russian: София Шифрин, Hebrew: סופיה שיפרין; born 11 August 2009) is a Russian-Israeli figure skater who competes for Israel. She is a three-time junior Israeli national champion (2024, 2025, 2026), the 2026 Junior Grand Prix Georgia silver medalist, a two-time Junior Grand Prix bronze medalist and the NRW Trophy champion.
She has represented Israel at the Junior World Championships three times (2024–26), finishing as high as fourth in 2026.
She is the first Israeli woman to medal on the ISU Grand Prix circuit.
Personal life Sophia was born in Moscow, Russia on 11 August 2009. She lives in both Moscow and Ashqelon, Israel.
Career
Early career
Skating for Russia Shifrin began skating at 5 years of age and competed domestically for Russia. She achieved a bronze and silver medal at the Moscow Championships.
She has trained at the Angels of Plushenko Figure Skating Academy.
2022–2023 season: International debut
Skating for Israel Sophia debuted internationally for Israel on the advanced novice level in 2022 at the Santa Claus Cup in Budapest. She won the gold medal. She later went on to win her first Israeli national title on the advanced novice level.
2023–2024 season: Youth Olympic Games Sophia debuted on the junior Grand Prix circuit finishing 6th and 7th place in her 2 assignments. In January, Shifrin represented Israel at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, South Korea. She finished the event in 12th place. At the 2024 Junior World Championships, she concluded the event in 22nd overall.
In early April, she won her first national title as a junior skater.
2024–2025 season Shifrin was allocated to two Grand Prix assignments; she placed 9th and 13th. She went onto earn the silver medal at the 2024 Santa Claus Cup behind Logan Higase-Chen of the United States. 2 weeks later, Sophia won her second national title as a junior. In early January, she won the gold medal at 2025 Bavarian Open in Oberstdorf, Germany.
At the 2025 Junior World Championships, Sophia achieved a new personal best score and finished the event in 17th place.
2025–2026 season: Two Grand Prix medals, small world bronze Shifrin was assigned to compete at two Grand Prix's in Baku, Azerbaijan and Abu Dhabi, UAE. She took first place in the short program in Baku, dropping to third place after the free skate and winning the bronze medal. This made her the first Israeli woman to medal on the ISU Grand Prix circuit in both the junior and senior categories. 2 weeks later, she won the bronze medal in Abu Dhabi behind Australia's Hana Bath and Japan's Mao Shimada. Sophia went onto win gold at the NRW Trophy and silver at Volvo Open. In December, she won her third junior national title.
In March, she competed at the 2026 World Junior Championships. Placing 4th in the short program and 3rd in the free skate, she concluded the event in 4th overall. She won a small bronze medal for the free skate segment. Sophia achieved new personal bests across both segments. “I am really, really happy!” said Shifrin after the free skate, “I was nervous before my skate, but I am so happy now. I just locked in and did everything that I had to do.”
During an interview in May, Shifrin shared that her successful season was the result of consistent hard work and preparation rather than luck, adding that competition performances reflect the work done in training. “For me, the brightest moments of the season were my first bronze medal at the Junior Grand Prix in Baku and the Junior World Championships,” Shifrin recalled. “In Baku, I didn't expect to get on to the podium although I had worked a lot during the off-season and was well prepared. That was my very first medal on the Junior Grand Prix and my first in an ISU competition.”
2026–2027 season Shifrin opened the new season at the Junior Grand Prix in Georgia; winning the silver medal.
Programs +SeasonShort ProgramFree SkatingExhibition2026–2027 Five Fragments on Paintingsby Hieronymus Bosch and Alfred Schnittke
Agony Suiteby Alfred Schnittke Hallelujahby Jeff Buckley2025–2026 "Big Spender The Music of Fosse"by Bianca Marroquin, Rema Webb and The Fandango Girls, Cy Coleman
"Rich Man's Frug"by Fosse Orchestra, Cy Coleman "Remembrances" (from Schindler's List soundtrack)by John Williams choreo. by Nadezhda Kanaeva 2024–2025 "Prelude in E minor" "Prelude in E minor (orchestral version)"by Frederic Chopin "That Certain"by Charlie Feathers
"Good Night Moon"by Shivarecchoreo by Ilona Protasenia, Mariia Kasumova, Nedezda, Kanaeva2023–2024 "Bad Guy"by Billie Eilish "Exogenesis: Symphony (Redemption;Part 4)" "Exogenesis: Symphony Part 3 (Redemption)"by Muse
Competitive highlights
Detailed results
References