Aleksandr ZAYTSEV

Aleksandr Zaytsev is best known as the second partner and husband of Irina Rodnina. They began to skate together after the 1972 Olympics, when Rondina’s first partner Aleksey Ulanov became romantically involved with Lyudmila Smirnova, another pairs skater who won a silver medal at the 1972 Olympics behind Rodnina and Ulanov. Zaytsev and Rodnina married in 1975, and together they won every competition they entered. Besides their two Olympic victories, Rodnina and Zaytsev won six World titles (1973-78) and seven European titles (1973-78, 1980). They also won four Soviet titles (1973-75, 1977). After his sporting career Zaytsev worked as a figure skating coach.