Denis Yuskov

Denis Igoryevich Yuskov

Yuskov in 2013
Personal information
Born	(1989-10-11) 11 October 1989 Moscow, Russia
Height	190 cm (6 ft 3 in)[1]
Weight	83 kg (183 lb)
Sport
Country	Russia
Sport	Speed skating
Event(s)	1500 m, 1000 m, 5000 m, All-around
Medal record Representing the  Russia Men's speed skating World Single Distance Championships 2013 Sochi 1500 m 2015 Heerenveen 1500 m 2016 Kolomna 1500 m 2016 Kolomna 1000 m 2012 Heerenveen Team pursuit World Allround Championships 2015 Calgary Allround 2014 Heerenveen Allround ISU World Cup 2015-16 Season 1500 m 2015-16 Season Team Sprint 2012-13 Season Team Pursuit European Championships 2015 Chelyabinsk Allround

Denis Igoryevich Yuskov (Russian: Денис Игоревич Юсков; born 11 October 1989 Moscow) is a Russian speed skater. He is a three-time gold medalist in men's 1500 meters (2013, 2015, 2016) at the World Single Distance Championships and the World Cup-2016 holder at the distance 1500m.^[2]

Personal life

Yuskov is married and has one son, Adrian (born on March 27, 2010). His mother was Master of Sports of the USSR in volleyball. His wife Alla, her brother Anton and Denis's sister Yana were all skaters in the past. His nephew is professional ice hockey player Ilya Antonovsky.

Career

Yuskov was born in Moscow, but grew up his childhood in Moldova. He then later relocated with his mother back to Moscow before starting school. Dennis first met his sister from skating practice at the school, and then he started to do it, thinking it was a football team. Soon Yuskov became a member of the selected team of Moscow, setting national records in different age categories and at different distances and in the all-around. Denis has been invited into the national Junior national team.

2006-2007 season — 17-years old Yuskov debuted in the World Cup series at the 1500 meters in the Group B. He then competed at the World Junior Championships, where he finished 11th in the final standings. In February 2008, at the age of 19, Yuskov was disqualified for four years for using marijuana, which Yuskov has denied and challenged. He then stopped training for three years with national team, but he continued to train alone.

2011-2012 season — after his suspension was lifted, he returned in the international field by competing at the 2012 European Championship, where he finished in 8th place. Later that year Yuskov competed at the World Single Distance Championships finishing in 6th place in the 1500 meters and 7th place in the 5000 meters. He also won a bronze in the team pursuit along with his compatriots Ivan Skobrev and Yevgeny Lalenkov.

2012-2013 season — he won a World Cup event in Inzell, and on March 21, 2013 he became world champion in men's 1500 meters, 2013 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships held at the Adler Arena in Sochi, updating the track record of 1.46,32. At the 5000 meter and team pursuit, he missed out the podium.

The Olympic season 2013/2014 began Yuskov with a 3.34,37 at the 3000 meter run in a quartet starts during a training race before the first World Cup race of the season. This is the fastest time ever ridden, but is not recognized as an official world record. Yuskov competed at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, however only 6th place in 5000 m, 17th in men's 1000 m and finished on the 4th place in the 1500 meters. In March 2014, at the 2014 World Allround Speed Skating Championships in Heerenveen, Yuskov won the 1500 meters and took a new personal record in the 10,000 meters. He came 3rd in the all around standings earning him the bronze medal. In early April, at the National championships in Chelyabinsk, he won the gold medal in the 500 m, 1500 m, 5000m and 10,000 m. Thus, becoming the new undisputed champion in all-around of Russia.

In the 2014/2015 season, Yuskov competed at the 2015 European Championships winning the All-round bronze and taking the gold in men's 1500 meters. In February 13, 2015, at the 2015 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships, he repeated as gold medalist in 1500 meters.

Yuskov in 2016

In 2015/16 Season. Yuskov opened his season winning the 1500 m gold at the 2015–16 ISU Speed Skating World Cup in Calgary, setting a new personal record clocking a time of 1:41.88.^[3] He then competed at the Inzell World Cup in Germany winning gold in men's 1500 m and a silver in 1000 m behind Dutch speed skater Kjeld Nuis. At the 2015–16 ISU World Cup in Heerenveen, Yuskov won 2 silver medals in 1000 m behind teammate Pavel Kulizhnikov and in 1500 m behind American Joey Mantia. In December 2015; He repeated as the All-around champion at the 2016 Russian Nationals. On January 9–10, Yuskov competed at the 2016 European Allround Speed Skating Championships in Minsk where he placed first in men's 500 m and 1500 m however he was unable to finish the All-around events, as he later withdrew in men's 10000 m because of a minor groin injury . He returned to competition in January 29–31 at the ISU World Cup in Stavanger where he won gold in 1500 and bronze in 1000 m. On February 11–14, At the 2016 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships in Kolomna, Yuskov won the gold in men's 1500 m and silver in men's 1000 m behind teammate Pavel Kulizhnikov.^[4]

Yuskov then competed at the 2016 World Allround Speed Skating Championships however he withdrew after the 500 m distance event because of a minor groin injury. On March 11-13, after the World Cup Final in Heerenveen, Yuskov won the World Cup of the season 2015/16 in the distance 1500m.^[5]

Personal records

Source: SpeedskatingResults.com^[6]
** National record

References

External links

• Denis Yuskov ISU
• Denis bio page (Russian)
• Denis Yuskov Sports Bio