Karel Zelenka

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Born (1983-03-31) March 31, 1983 (age 42)
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
CountryItaly
CoachKarel Zelenka Sr., Mirco Botta, Edoardo De Bernardis
Karel Zelenka
Zelenka in 2007
Personal information
Born (1983-03-31) March 31, 1983 (age 42)
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Figure skating career
CountryItaly
CoachKarel Zelenka Sr., Mirco Botta, Edoardo De Bernardis
Skating clubAgora Skating Team
Began skating1988
Retired2010
Medal record
Italian Championships
Gold medal – first place 2003 Lecco Singles
Gold medal – first place 2004 Milan Singles
Gold medal – first place 2005 Merano Singles
Gold medal – first place 2006 Sesto San Giovanni Singles
Gold medal – first place 2007 Trento Singles
Silver medal – second place 2000 Merano Singles
Silver medal – second place 2001 Milan Singles
Silver medal – second place 2002 Collalbo Singles
Silver medal – second place 2008 Milan Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Brescia Singles

Karel Zelenka (born March 31, 1983) is a Czech-Italian former competitive figure skater. He is a five-time (2003–2007) Italian national champion and competed at the 2006 Winter Olympics. He qualified to the free skate at eleven ISU Championships – three World, three World Junior, and five European Championships – and finished in the top ten twice.

Zelenka was born in 1983 in Louny, Czechoslovakia.[1] His father is a figure skating coach.[2] The family moved to Italy when the younger Zelenka was six years old.[2] He received Italian citizenship in January 2006.[3]

Career

Zelenka debuted on the ISU Junior Series (ISU Junior Grand Prix) in 1997. He won the Italian junior title in the 1998–99 season and was sent to his first ISU Championship1999 Junior Worlds in Zagreb, Croatia, where he finished 20th after qualifying to the final segment.

Zelenka placed 19th at the 2000 Junior Worlds in Oberstdorf, Germany, and 8th at the 2001 Junior Worlds in Sofia, Bulgaria. In October 2001, he won the silver medal at his JGP assignment in Poland.

Zelenka won the first of his five consecutive senior national titles in the 2002–03 season. He reached the free skate at the 2003 European Championships in Malmö but was eliminated after the short program at the 2003 World Championships in Washington, D.C.

Zelenka competed at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin; he placed 25th in the short program and missed qualifying to the free skate by one spot. He achieved his career-best ISU Championship placement, 7th, at the 2007 European Championships in Warsaw.

He trained in Milan, Italy; Oberstdorf, Germany; and Switzerland.[4][5][6]

Programs

Season Short program Free skating
2009–10
[1]
  • Burn the Floor
    • Cheek to Cheek
    • Let Yourself Go
    • Top Hat
    • White Tie and Tails
2008–09
[7]
2007–08
[8]
  • Blues for Klook
    by Eddy Louiss
2006–07
[9]
2005–06
[3]
2004–05
[10]
  • Elements
    by Frank Nimsgren
2003–04
[11]
  • Lord of the Dance
    by Ronan Hardiman
2002–03
[12]
2000–01
[13]

Competitive highlights

References

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