Michal Březina

Michal Březina

Březina at the 2013 European Championships
Personal information
Country represented Czech Republic
Born (1990-03-30) 30 March 1990
Brno, Czechoslovakia
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Coach Rafael Arutyunyan
Former coach Karel Fajfr, Viktor Petrenko, Petr Starec, Karol Divín, Alena Knothová
Choreographer Tom Dickson, Jeffrey Buttle
Former choreographer Salome Brunner, Stephane Lambiel, Pasquale Camerlengo, Frank Dehne, Hana Charvátová
Skating club TJ Stadion Brno
Training locations California
Former training locations Oberstdorf
Brno
Hackensack, New Jersey
Began skating 1997
ISU personal best scores
Combined total 243.52
2013 Europeans
Short program 87.67
2012 Worlds
Free skate 163.68
2013 Europeans
Medal record
Representing  Czech Republic
Figure skating: Men's singles
European Championships
2013 Zagreb Men's singles
World Junior Championships
2009 Sofia Men's singles

Michal Březina (Czech pronunciation: [ˈmɪxal ˈbr̝ɛzɪna]; born 30 March 1990) is a Czech figure skater. He is the 2013 European bronze medalist, 2011 Skate America champion, 2009 World Junior silver medalist, and 2010 Czech national champion. He is also the winner of the 2014-15 ISU Challenger Series.

Personal life

Michal Březina was born on 30 March 1990 in Brno.[1] He is the son of Edita Březinová and Rudolf Březina, a figure skating coach.[2] His younger sister, Eliška Březinová, competes in ladies' single skating.[3][4] He intends to study sports at university and to eventually become a skating coach.[5]

Březina was the best man at the wedding of Anna Cappellini and Ondřej Hotárek in the summer of 2015.[6]

On May 19, 2015, Brezina announced his engagement to his girlfriend, fellow figure skater Danielle Montalbano.[7]

Career

Březina at the 2009 Skate Canada

Early years

Březina was initially interested in ice hockey after watching the 1998 Winter Olympics but his father advised him to learn to skate first, and after a few months, he dropped hockey to focus on figure skating.[5]

Březina first landed a triple Salchow at the age of 12, and a triple Axel at 15.[5] In practice, he has worked on a quad toe loop and quad Salchow.[5] He trained in his hometown of Brno with coach Petr Starec and in Oberstdorf, Germany with Karel Fajfr.[8][9][10]

2007–08 season

Březina won the 2007 Nebelhorn Trophy over compatriot and reigning champion, Tomáš Verner. Two weeks later, he won his first Junior Grand Prix medal, a silver, in Chemnitz. Březina placed 16th at his first European Championships. He missed training time because of a broken wrist, but was able to compete at the World Junior Championships, where he was 5th.[11]

2008–09 season

In the 2008–09 season, Březina won both his junior Grand Prix events, but was forced to miss the Junior Grand Prix Final and the Czech national championships due to a right knee injury that required surgery.[12] He returned in time for the 2009 Europeans, where he finished 10th, and then set a new personal best at the 2009 Junior Worlds to win the silver medal behind Adam Rippon.

2009–10 season

Březina debuted on the senior Grand Prix circuit, finishing fourth at the 2009 Skate Canada International. He won the bronze medal at 2009 NHK Trophy, and defeated Tomáš Verner to win the Czech Championship. He finished 4th at the 2010 European Championships.[13] At the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver he came in 10th. Competing at his first senior World Championships, he earned a fourth-place finish with a new personal best score of 236.06.

2010–11 season

Březina was forced to withdraw from the 2010 Cup of China after undergoing surgery for a varicose vein in his abdomen.[3][14] He later withdrew from the 2010 Trophée Eric Bompard as well. He took silver behind Verner at the Czech Championships. At the 2011 European Championships, Březina placed second in the short program but dropped to 8th overall following the free skate. At the 2011 World Championships, he successfully landed two quads, a Salchow and a toe loop, in the long program – his first quads landed in competition – but fell on two jumps toward the end of the program. He finished fourth at the event for the second straight year.[15][16]

2011–12 season

Březina experienced some boot problems during the off-season.[10] He trained mainly in Oberstdorf.[3] He began the 2011–12 season at 2011 Nebelhorn Trophy where he won the silver medal. Skaters who had placed in the top six at the 2011 Worlds were given a newly introduced option of competing at three Grand Prix events.[17] Březina elected to do so, and was assigned to 2011 Skate America, 2011 Trophée Eric Bompard, and 2011 Cup of Russia.[10] At Skate America, he won the short program by 8.39 points and placed third in the free skate to win the gold medal overall. Březina won the bronze medal in France which qualified him for the Grand Prix Final.[18] He then placed fourth in Cup of Russia. He was sixth at the Grand Prix Final. At the 2012 World Championships, Březina picked up a small silver medal for the short program and finished 6th overall after the free skate. In April 2012, he changed coaches from Starec and Fajfr to Viktor Petrenko.[19][20] He trained at the Ice House in Hackensack, New Jersey.[21]

2012–13 season

Březina finished 6th at 2012 Skate America and won the bronze medal at the 2012 Rostelecom Cup. He withdrew from the Czech Championships due to a fever.[22] He dislocated his shoulder during practice on 21 January at the 2013 European Championships but went on to win bronze, his first European medal.[23]

2013–14 season

In February 2014, Březina placed tenth at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.[12] His next event was the 2014 World Championships in Saitama, Japan. He withdrew after the short program on 26 March, having pulled ligaments in his right ankle on the triple flip take-off.[24] His ankle was immediately put into a cast and he recovered in two weeks.[25] Due to the high cost of training in the United States,[25] he decided in June 2014 to rejoin Karel Fajfr in Oberstdorf.[26]

2014–15 season to present

In the 2014–15 Grand Prix season, Brezina competed at the 2014 Skate Canada International and 2014 Rostelecom Cup.

In the spring of 2016, Brezina decided to train with Rafael Arutyunyan in California.[27]

Programs

Březina 2013 European Championships
Březina at the 2009 Skate Canada
Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2016–17
[27]
2015–16
[28]
  • The Way You Look Tonight
    by Jerome Kern
    choreo. by Jeffrey Buttle
2014–15
[25][29][30]
2013–14
[31]
2012–13
[21][32]
  • In the Hall of the Mountain King
    by Edvard Grieg
    performed by Epica
    choreo. by Pasquale Camerlengo
  • New York, New York remix
2011–12
[33]
  • The Untouchables
    by Ennio Morricone
    choreo. by Pasquale Camerlengo[10]
2010–11
[34]
  • Japanese Kodo Drums
    choreo. by Pasquale Camerlengo[8]
2009–10
[35]
  • An American in Paris
    by George Gershwin
  • Feeling Good
    by Michael Bublé
2007–09
[36][37]
2006–07
[38]
  • The Matrix

Competitive highlights

Brezina with the other medalists at the 2011 Skate America

GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

2009–10 to present

International[39]
Event 09–10 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14 14–15 15–16 16–17
Olympics 10th 10th
Worlds 4th 4th 6th 10th WD 15th 9th
Europeans 4th 8th 4th 3rd 4th 5th 10th
GP Final 6th
GP Bompard WD 3rd 5th
GP Cup of China WD 10th
GP NHK Trophy 3rd 7th
GP Rostel. Cup 4th 3rd 3rd
GP Skate America 1st 6th
GP Skate Canada 4th 4th 7th 8th 4th
CS Golden Spin 2nd
CS Nebelhorn 2nd 6th
Bavarian Open 1st
Finlandia Trophy 4th
Golden Spin 2nd
Lombardia Trophy 2nd
Nebelhorn Trophy 3rd 7th 2nd 5th
NRW Trophy 2nd
Seibt Memorial 2nd
Slovenia Open 1st
National[39]
Czech Champ. 1st 2nd 2nd WD 2nd 1st 1st
Team events
Team Challenge
Cup 		TBD
Japan Open 3rd T
5th P 		3rd T
5th P
TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew
T = Team result; P = Personal result. Medals awarded for team result only.

2003–04 to 2008–09

International[39]
Event 03–04 04–05 05–06 06–07 07–08 08–09
Europeans 16th 10th
Golden Spin 5th
Nebelhorn Trophy 1st 2nd
Schäfer Memorial WD
International: Junior[39]
Junior Worlds 16th 5th 2nd
JGP Final WD
JGP Austria 7th
JGP Czech Rep. 16th
JGP France 1st
JGP Germany 2nd
JGP Hungary 12th
JGP Italy 1st
JGP Netherlands 5th
Gardena 3rd J 2nd J
EYOF 7th J
Grand Prize SNP 1st
National[39]
Czech Champ. 1st J 1st J 1st J 2nd
J = Junior level; WD = Withdrew

Detailed results

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

2016-17 season
Date Event Level SP FS Total
18-20 November 2016 2016 Cup of China Senior 7
75.86
2015–16 season
Date Event Level SP FS Total
27–28 January 2016 2016 European Championships Senior 3
84.30		 13
127.51		 10
211.81
2012–13 season
24–26 January 2013 2013 European Championships Senior 4
79.84		 2
163.68		 3
243.52
2011–12 season
30–31 March 2012 2012 World Championships Senior 2
87.67		 7
151.88		 6
239.55
26–28 January 2012 2012 European Championships Senior 6
76.13		 4
153.17 		4
229.30
2010–11 season
27–28 April 2011 2011 World Championships Senior 7
77.50		 5
156.11		 4
233.61
27–29 January 2011 2011 European Championships Senior 2
76.13		 10
125.26		 8
201.39
2009–10 season
24–25 March 2010 2010 World Championships Senior 5
81.75 		3
154.31		 4
236.06
20–21 January 2010 2010 European Championships Senior 4
79.60		 5
145.14		 4
224.74

References

  1. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2016/2017". International Skating Union.
  2. ↑ Krutil, Robin (29 December 2013). "Sága krasobruslařského rodu Březinů pokračuje. Mezi elitu míří Eliška" [Březina family in figure skating]. Mladá fronta DNES (in Czech).
  3. 1 2 3 Golinsky, Reut (3 January 2012). "Michal Březina: "Since Olympics, skating moved on"". Absolute Skating.
  4. ↑ "Eliska BREZINOVA". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 22 September 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Mittan, Barry (6 July 2008). "Brezina Challenges Czech's Verner". GoldenSkate.com. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
  6. ↑ "Our Very Best Wishes". Facebook. International Figure Skating. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  7. ↑ Brezina, Michal. "Brezina announces engagement". Facebook. Facebook. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  8. 1 2 Flade, Tatjana (22 August 2010). "Brezina has realistic ambitions". GoldenSkate.com. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  9. ↑ Luchianov, Vladislav (5 July 2011). "Big things on the horizon for Brezina". Icenetwork. Retrieved 5 July 2011.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Flade, Tatjana (14 September 2011). "Michal Březina on the Edge of Success". IFS Magazine.
  11. ↑ "Interview with Michal Brezina, Oberstdorf, July 2008". figureskating-online. 20 July 2008. Archived from the original on 16 March 2012.
  12. 1 2 "Michal BREZINA". Organizing Committee of the XXII Olympic Winter Games. Archived from the original on 6 April 2014.
  13. ↑ Bőd, Titanilla (2010). "Michal Březina: "Practice is like competition for me"". AbsoluteSkating.com. Retrieved 22 December 2010.
  14. ↑ Brannen, Sarah S.; Meekins, Drew (26 October 2010). "The Inside Edge with Sarah and Drew: Brezina, Bates and regattas". Icenetwork.com. Retrieved 20 November 2010.
  15. ↑ "Chan the man, devastation for Daisuke".
  16. ↑ "Chan takes World title with record score".
  17. ↑ "ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series 2011/2012".
  18. ↑ Tikhonova, Yulia (12 December 2011). Михал Бржезина: "Четверной прыжок – это не всё!" [The quad is not everything]. sport.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 16 December 2011.
  19. ↑ "Březina mění trenéry, povede ho Ukrajinec Petrenko?" [Březina changes coaches, will Ukrainian Petrenko guide him?]. Týden (in Czech). 6 April 2012.
  20. ↑ "Petrenko to Coach Czech Skating Star Brezina". RIA Novosti. 10 April 2012.
  21. 1 2 Rutherford, Lynn (25 August 2012). "Brezina happy with move to New Jersey, Petrenko". Icenetwork.
  22. ↑ "Krasobruslař Verner se stal podeváté mistrem ČR" [Figure skater Verner won Czech title]. Česká televize (in Czech). 16 December 2012.
  23. ↑ Bőd, Titanilla; Benáková, Iveta (18 February 2013). "Michal Brezina: "We made a new year's resolution that we would get a medal in Zagreb"". Absolute Skating.
  24. ↑ "Tatsuki Machida (JPN) leads in Men & Aliona Savchenko/Robin Szolkowy (GER) in Pairs". International Skating Union. 26 March 2014.
  25. 1 2 3 Flade, Tatjana (20 August 2014). "Back to the beginning for Brezina". GoldenSkate.com.
  26. ↑ "Březinu už nepovede Petrenko, krasobruslař se vrací k trenéru Fajfrovi" [Březina leaves Petrenko and returns to Fajfr]. Czech News Agency; Mladá fronta DNES (in Czech). 10 June 2014.
  27. 1 2 Luchianov, Vladislav (14 October 2016). "Březina hopes Arutunian gives him push he needs". IceNetwork.com.
  28. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2015/2016". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016.
  29. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 23 May 2015.
  30. ↑ "2014 Rostelecom Cup: time of glitter and lights, time of Gala". InsideSkating.net. 28 November 2014.
  31. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014.
  32. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 30 August 2013.
  33. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 1 January 2012.
  34. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2010/2011". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 16 August 2011.
  35. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 5 May 2010.
  36. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2008/2009". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 June 2009.
  37. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2007/2008". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 29 May 2008.
  38. ↑ "Michal BREZINA: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 15 July 2007.
  39. 1 2 3 4 5 "Competition Results: Michal BREZINA". International Skating Union.

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