Japanese ice skater lives the dream in Russia

“I am sixteen years old. I want to be like Elena Berezhnaya. I want to be your student.” This is part of a letter sent in 1998 by a Japanese girl to Russia's top figure skating coach. It was to be the start of something big, the start of a car

Yuko Kawaguti came to Russia to make her dreams come true.  Some have already become reality.

At first, coach coach Tamara Moskvina was reluctant. She had enough on her plate. But after a couple of years she gave in, and took the promising youngster under her wing.  They've been together ever since.

“There is the globalisation process, and Yuko happened to have been our student for eight years. She has always told us: ‘I would like to have a Russian partner because Russian boys are so strong, so masculine, so artistic’ – that was her dream.” Moskvina said.

And the dream has come true. This week she and her partner are taking part in Moscow's figure skating Grand Prix.

Yuko Kawaguti

But Yuko has even bigger plans. Now twenty five, she is dreaming of representing Russia in the Olympics. That dream is achievable as long as she gets her Russian citizenship.

The hard-working skater is in her fourth year at St. Petersburg State University studying international relations. She is fluent in Russian.

“I like the Russian school, I like the teachers and skating. It’s an honour to skate for Russia. I want to compete in the Olympics with the Russian team. I have to get Russian citizenship. After that – I don’t know… Maybe, in 2014, Sochi! But I don’t know yet!” Yuko Kawaguti said.

Yuko could be in the right place at the right time. Most of the Russian skaters who ruled the rink have either retired or turned professional.

Some say that figure skating is facing a major decline in this country.

With the Moscow Grand Prix just around the corner, the coach of the ‘international’ pair is banking on Japanese patience and grace combined with the Russian strength and artistic abilities.

Russian fans are already pinning their hopes on Yuko and her partner to start a revival in Russian figure skating.