Plushenko, Evgeni Viktorovich, 1982–, Russian figure skater. Plushenko debuted at the Russian Nationals in 1996, won the World Junior Championship a year later, and won the bronze medal at the World Championships in 1998. Combining power with grace, he several times was the first person to perform difficult combinations of jumps in competition; he was also the first male skater to perform the Biellmann spin in senior competition. Plushenko won four medals in the Olympics (silver in 2002; gold in 2006; silver in 2010; gold in 2014) and, in addition to his 1998 bronze medal, three golds (2001, 2003–4) and one silver (1999) in the World Championships.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Sports: Biographies