7 Best Figure Skaters in History

Figure skating as a kind of sport may not be as mainstream as football or hockey, but it still attracts lots of fans – especially at big competitions. It gets the most attention during the certain world- and continental championships, and the Olympics. Before the 2022 Winter Games arrive, learn what are the best figure skaters in history.

Ice figure skating as a professional sport has a long history. Its roots go to 1908 when ice skating was first included in the Olympic Games in London. Since then, this sport has won many people’s hearts, especially in Europe, Asia, and North America.

Figure skating includes 4 major disciplines: men and women’s singles, pair skating, and ice dance. The non-Olympic ones include synchronized skating, four skatings, and ice theater. Such a big variety in sports is obviously remarkable by many great performers, who participated in the popularization of skating. Let’s see who has been among the best figure skaters in history from the 20th century until nowadays.

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The best figure skaters in history: top-7

In this article, we have ranked the seven greatest ice skaters of all time. We considered their domestic and international success, as well as the performance at the Olympics. All sportsmen are listed in alphabetical order.

Artur Dmitriev (Russia)

Artur Dmitriev opens the list of the greatest ice skaters. Russian pair figure skater won two gold medals at the Olympics in 1992 and 1998. He was also a silver-medal winner in 1994. Dmitriev is the only male athlete to win the Olympics with different partners.

His son, Artur Dmitriev Jr, is also a figure skater. The ongoing career of the 27-years-old Dmitriev JJ is already full of outstanding achievements and records like winning the CS Ice Challenge and placing 2nd in the Cup of Nice. Use 22Bet Sportsbook to bet on these competitions once they are on again.

Evgeni Plushenko (Russia)

Russian Evgeni Plushenko is one of the best figure skaters in history, though he has already retired from big sports. The 37-years-old sportsman had a long-lasting career full of victories, records, and memorable performances. Plushenko won 4 Olympic medals – two gold and two silver – in team & single skating. He also became a three-time world champion (2001, 2003, 2004) and a seven-time European champion. There is nothing to say about Plushenko’s achievements in his home country – Russia named him the best skater 10 times!

Apart from sports, Evgeni Plushenko wrote his name in music history. In 2008, figure skater accompanied singer Dima Bilan at the Eurovision Song Contest stage. Plushenko took part in the “Believe” performance that won the contest that year. He is also a very popular celebrity in Russia nowadays, though his career in ice skating isn’t finished. Despite the fact that he doesn’t perform anymore, Plushenko works as a coach for several young Russian skaters, including Alexandra Trusova.

Gillis Grafström (Sweden)

Gillis Emanuel Grafström was one of the best figure skaters in history if not the greatest one. Swedish sportsman established several world records during his career in 1912-1932. He is the only figure skater to win 3 Olympic gold medals in three consecutive competitions. His 4th Olympics medal should have been gold too, but Gillis collided with a photographer and therefore finished 2nd.

Grafström is known for being one of the few ice skaters who have participated in both WInter and Summer Olympics (and managed to win). He also entered history among the oldest figure skaters who have become champions. To bet on the young generation of Swedish athletes to repeat Gillis’s success, use online gambling sites in Sweden.

Irina Rodnina (Russia)

Russian Irina Rodnina is one of the most successful females in figure skating. The 70-years-old former athlete was a pair skater who performed mostly with Alexei Ulanov and Alexander Zaitsev.

During her career, Rodnina has won 3 Olympic gold medals in a row as well as 10 successive World championships. She is also known as the first skater to win the Olympic Games with different partners. Add to it eleven victories at the European championships and one of the greatest ice skaters is here. For her achievements, Rodnina was honored to light the 2014 Sochi Olympic flame together with Vladislav Tretyak.

Pierre and Andree Brunet (France)

Andree and Pierre Brunet are a married couple who are among the greatest figure skaters ever. Both entered the top-7 thanks to their three victories at the Olympics (between 1924-1932) and four pair-skating titles at the World championship. The French couple is also remembered for their figure skating techniques: at their first Olympics, the Brunets performed more skills that the jury has ever seen. 

Apart from pair skating, Andree competed in singles and even won several titles in France. Her spouse also won the one and finished in the top-10 in 1924 and 1928 Olympics singles. Therefore, the couple holds two spots on the list thanks to their success both in pair and single sports.

Sonja Henie (Norway)

Sonja Henie was a Norwegian figure skater, whose success arrived in the 1920-30s. One of the best figure skaters in history among females was a three-times Olympics winner. Together with 10 World Championship titles, it made her the most successful female on ice ever. Apart from these competitions, Henie was also a six-time European champion… and a popular movie star. Although she starred mostly in sports-themed movies like Thin Ice or Iceland, it didn’t stop Sonja from being one of the highest-paid actresses.

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