Deividas Stagniūnas

Deividas Stagniūnas

Tobias and Stagniūnas in 2011.
Personal information
Country represented Lithuania
Born (1985-04-28) April 28, 1985
Kaunas, Lithuanian SSR, Soviet Union
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Former partner Isabella Tobias, Katherine Copely, Kayla Nicole Frey, Laura Whipple
Former coach Igor Shpilband, Marina Zueva, Elena Garanina, Valeri Spiridonov
Former choreographer Igor Shpilband, Marina Zueva
Skating club Baltų ainiai
Former training locations Novi, Michigan
Canton, Michigan
Began skating 1990
Retired May 2014
ISU personal best scores
Combined total 142.31
2014 European
Short dance 59.66
2012 European
Free dance 85.55
2014 European

Deividas Stagniūnas (born April 28, 1985) is a Lithuanian former ice dancer. With Isabella Tobias, he is the 2011 Skate America bronze medalist and placed in the top ten at two European Championships. They represented Lithuania at the 2014 Winter Olympics, where Stagniūnas was the flagbearer.

Career

Early years

Stagniūnas began skating at age five.[1][2] He moved to the United States at age 15 to skate with a partner.[2]

Early in his career, Stagniūnas was coached by Walter Wielunski and Natalia Dubova, who trained him in ice dancing. They trained in Darien, Illinois, where he lived with his partner, Laura Whipple. He and Whipple won the senior bronze medal at the Lake Placid ice dancing competition, representing Lithuania. In the 2003–2004 season, Stagniūnas began skating with Kayla Nicole Frey. They competed internationally on the junior level and were three-time (2004–2006) Lithuanian silver medalists.

Partnership with Copely

In 2006, Stagniūnas formed a partnership with American Katherine Copely. They became the 2007 Lithuanian national champions and 2006 and 2007 Golden Spin of Zagreb bronze medalists. The duo qualified an entry for the 2010 Winter Olympics in the ice dancing event when they placed 14th at the 2009 World Championships.[3] According to IOC rules, competitors must have citizenship of the country they are representing; however, Copely's special request for citizenship was denied by Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė.[4] The spot was left unfilled. Copely retired from competition due to an injury.[1]

Partnership with Tobias

In spring 2010, Stagniūnas teamed up with American ice dancer Isabella Tobias.[5] They initially trained under Igor Shpilband and Marina Zueva in Canton, Michigan. Tobias/Stagniūnas made their debut at the 2010 Nebelhorn Trophy, where they placed 11th, and won their first international medal, bronze, at the 2010 NRW Trophy. At their first European and World Championships, they placed 12th and 14th, respectively.

Tobias/Stagniūnas won bronze at a Grand Prix event, the 2011 Skate America. In June 2012, they moved from Canton, Michigan to Novi, Michigan, following coach Igor Shpilband.[6] According to IOC rules, Olympic competitors must be citizens of the country they are representing. In order to allow the team to compete at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Tobias submitted an application for Lithuanian citizenship in October 2012.[7] It was denied on January 7, 2013.[8][9]

Tobias/Stagniūnas withdrew from the 2013 European Championships as a result of Stagniūnas' back problem.[10] By finishing 15th at the 2013 World Championships in London, Ontario, they qualified a spot for Lithuania in the Olympic ice dancing event. Tobias was granted Lithuanian citizenship in December 2013. Tobias/Stagniūnas placed ninth at the 2014 European Championships in January in Budapest, 17th at the 2014 Winter Olympics in February in Sochi, and then 15th at the 2014 World Championships in March in Saitama. In early May 2014, Stagniūnas announced his competitive retirement due to recurring injuries.[11]

Programs

With Tobias

Season Short dance Free dance Exhibition
2013–2014
[12]
  • Foxtrot: A Fine Romance
    by Marilyn Monroe
  • Quickstep: Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friends
    by Marilyn Monroe
2012–2013
[1][13]
2011–2012
[14]
2010–2011
[15]

With Copely

Season Original dance Free dance
2009–2010
[16]
  • Lithuanian Polka
2008–2009
[17]
2007–2008
[18]
2006–2007
[19]
  • Tango
    by Jaime Wilensky
  • Kalinka

Results

With Tobias

Results[20]
International
Event 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14
Winter Olympics 17th
World Champ. 14th 18th 15th 15th
European Champ. 12th 9th 9th
GP Skate America 3rd
GP Cup of Russia 5th
Nebelhorn Trophy 11th 5th
Golden Spin of Zagreb 4th
NRW Trophy 3rd
National
Lithuanian Champ. 1st
GP = Grand Prix

With Copely

Results[21]
International
Event 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10
World Champ. 23rd 14th 14th
European Champ. 18th 12th 10th
GP Cup of Russia 5th 6th 8th
GP Skate America 8th
Golden Spin 3rd 3rd
Nebelhorn Trophy 6th 3rd
National
Lithuanian Champ. 1st 1st 1st 1st
GP = Grand Prix

With Frey

Results[22]
International
Event 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06
World Junior Champ. 19th
JGP Croatia 7th
JGP United States 10th
International Ice Dance Cup 1st
National
Lithuanian Championships 2nd 2nd 2nd
JGP = Junior Grand Prix

References

  1. 1 2 3 Flade, Tatjana (August 26, 2012). "Tobias and Stagniunas are ready to challenge". Golden Skate.
  2. 1 2 "Depresiją įveikęs D.Stagniūnas baigęs čiuožėjo karjerą tikisi tapti TV laidų vedėju arba verslininku (interviu su sportininku)" [Skater Stagniūnas has beat depression and aims for a career in television or to become an entrepreneur]. Delfi (in Lithuanian). October 4, 2012.
  3. ↑ "NEBELHORN TROPHY – Obertsdorf, Germany". Ice-dance.com. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
  4. ↑ "Granting Lithuanian citizenship to Katherine Copely would be in violation of the Constitution". Office of the President of the Republic of Lithuania. November 6, 2009. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011.
  5. ↑ Elfman, Lois (October 12, 2011). "Tobias, Stagniunas find rhythm in partnership". Icenetwork. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Lithuanians Tobias, Stagniunas follow Shpilband". Icenetwork. June 14, 2012.
  7. ↑ Augustis, Mindaugas (October 5, 2012). "Į Lietuvą pirmąkart atvykusi šokėja ant ledo I.Tobias prašo prezidentės malonės" [Tobias appealed to the president]. Delfi (in Lithuanian). Augustis, Mindaugas (October 5, 2012). Впервые приехавшая в Литву Тобиас обратилась за милостью к президенту [Tobias appealed to the president]. Delfi (Russian version) (in Russian).
  8. ↑ "Lithuania won't clear Isabella Tobias". Associated Press (ESPN). January 7, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Lithuanian president denies citizenship to American ice skater". The Baltic Course. January 7, 2013.
  10. ↑ Elfman, Lois (January 18, 2013). "Tobias, Stagniunas keep up citizenship fight". IceNetwork.
  11. ↑ "Olympic ice skater Stagniūnas ends his professional career". Lithuania Tribune. May 2, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Isabella TOBIAS / Deividas STAGNIUNAS: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 3, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Isabella TOBIAS / Deividas STAGNIUNAS: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on January 12, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Isabella TOBIAS / Deividas STAGNIUNAS: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 27, 2012.
  15. ↑ "Isabella TOBIAS / Deividas STAGNIUNAS: 2010/2011". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on August 16, 2011.
  16. ↑ "Katherine COPELY / Deividas STAGNIUNAS: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on December 16, 2012.
  17. ↑ "Katherine COPELY / Deividas STAGNIUNAS: 2008/2009". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 28, 2009.
  18. ↑ "Katherine COPELY / Deividas STAGNIUNAS: 2007/2008". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 9, 2008.
  19. ↑ "Katherine COPELY / Deividas STAGNIUNAS: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 29, 2007.
  20. ↑ "Competition Results: Isabella TOBIAS / Deividas STAGNIUNAS". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 3, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Competition Results: Katherine COPELY / Deividas STAGNIUNAS". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on December 15, 2012.
  22. ↑ "Kayla Nicole FREY / Deividas STAGNIUNAS: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on November 17, 2006.

External links

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Olympic Games
Preceded by
Irina Terentjeva		 Flagbearer for  Lithuania
Sochi 2014 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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