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Born in a small Ukrainian industrial town, Olympic figure skating champion Oksana Baiul suffered many childhood tragedies.When she was just two years old, her father abandoned her family, never to be heard from again. Oksana's grandparents died when she was ten, and, three years later, her mother died of cancer.Within a few months, the coach who had taken Oksana into his home defected to Canada, leaving his young pupil alone in the world.Brokenhearted, Oksana threw her skates in the trash,but she took refuge in her skating once again after famed coach Galina Zmievkaya offered to take her under her wing.Oksana had auditioned for Galina in a pair of borrowed skates held together by tape, but the coach recognized the young girl's tremendous skating talent and indomitable spirit.Today, Oksana's dramatic rags-to-riches story -- and the number of her fans -- continues to build.Oksana, who now lives and trains in Simsbury, CT, is preparing to reenter the competitive skating world in the 1997 World Championships and the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan.She regularly headlines in national skating tours and TV specials and has been featured in countless newspapers and magazines.In Oksana:My Own Story, readers will meet firsthand both the fantasy princess and the very real teenager; the gifted skater and the warm, fun-loving young woman.
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Customer Reviews (2)

Oksana Baiul My Own Story
This offers a glimpse into the world of a humble young Russian girl goes after the "brass ring" and wins Gold, before she fell from grace.
Oksana is a poised beautiful person who skates with her heart and was an inspiration for my 4 year old daughter to get on the ice and try.

From the heart
Oksana tells her story with moving earnestness, from her tragic personal losses to her triumph in Lillehammer. Everyone who watched her win the gold medal couldnt' help but be touched by her performance, which was yet another triumph over adversity (she had been injured in a practice in a collision with another skater). Her from-the-heart performance gave her the much-deserved Olympic medal. Here's a glimpse into the girl behind the glitter. Figure skating fans won't want to miss this one, and it's a tale of personal triumph and determination that other young athletes would do well to emulate ... Read more

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A biography of the young Ukrainian figure skater who won a gold medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Oksana Baiul............Heart & Soul of an Artist on Ice!
This book not only captures the essence of Oksana as a person, but more importantly as a skater.........the title says it all "Rhapsody On Ice."Her story is brought to life in exquisite detail withbreathtaking photos and quotes from Oksana herself, which give the reader aglimpse into her soul.After reading this brief but concise book, it'seasy to see why Oksana is referred to as 'The Swan'.A must have for thefan of the unique sport of figure skating, but especially for her fans! ... Read more

Product Description
A biography of young skater who won a gold medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics. ... Read more

Product Description
A biography of the young Ukrainian figure skater who won a gold medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Finally!A concise & comprehensive book about Oksana Baiul!
This small but compact book provided the perfect balance of information, insight, and history into the life of the skating world's most enigmatic Ladies Olympic Gold Medalist ever...........Miss Oksana Baiul!It delves into Oksana's early beginnings as a precocious child from a very poorcountry (Ukraine) whose phenomenal talent was evident at a very earlyage........and this talent was both nurtured and tested many timesthroughout the ups & downs of her life (re: loss of each one of herfamily members and the subsequent quitting of skating only to come backstronger than before).In the end, it is about the testament of the humanspirit and triumph over tragedy..........which the author captured somovingly.It's a definite keeper. ... Read more

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With her trademark grace and charm, Olympic champion Oksana Baiul takes readers "backstage" into her world, giving them insight into the moves, the music, the costumes, the makeup, the personalities, and more, which are involved in this immensely popular sport. 200 color photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Entertaining read and a treat for skating fans
Who can fail but sympathize with Ms. Baiul, an anomaly in this glittering sport of young women who usually have it all - looks, money, and loving families. That Oksana managed to achieve greatness with none of the above says it all about her talent. Oksana's fans won't be disappointed.

Oksana - professional but not personal
I do not like biographies, yet this book was able to keep my attention. Oksana discusses her life as it relates to various parts of ice skating. The only drawback is that you do not learn about the everyday Oksana. You do not learn about any of her other interests (sports done in her training routine do not necessarily count as "fun, relaxing hobbies"), her favorite foods, favorite types of music, or her feelings about having a family or dating.
I love the numerous ways that she compares and contrasts ballet and ice skating without making either activity seem inferior or superior to the other.
She appears to be an emotional person and the writing style is just as emotional - written in typeset, cursive, straight lines, circles, and various colors.The photographs are taken from very interesting perspectives, and do make sure that you see the photo of the man doing a headstand without the use of his hands! She did a very interesting job of combining a book about the factual aspects of figure skating with the story of her life - she even explains how to do basic jumps and spins. Many ice skating books explain figure skating for beginners, but this book is a great starter for those considering a professional career on the ice.

A Must for the skater!!!
This book is fulled with beautiful photos and tips

Truly a portrait of Oksana
I sprinted to the bookstore the day this book was released and snatched up the last copy. And, by and large, I wasn't at all disappointed. It's beautifully done, with style and originality. Tons of great pictures ofOksana, and she writes in a pleasant, simple manner. But I get the feelingthat she just wasn't ready to truly share herself at the time, which makessense, considering when she wrote it. The only other problem is that inlight of the changes in her life since this book was done, it seems tofocus on a very short period of time in Oksana's life. Nonetheless, Oksanais a remarkable, beautiful, incredibly talented young woman, and I wish herall the best in the world. I have a feeling that if things continue as theyare now, the next book she does, if she does one, will be a lot moreintimate.

Oksana's is a Jewel.A Figure Skater. An Actress. A Dancer.
Oksana has a secret that she will keep because her secret is her. She is an actress who makes a song reality in through her own visions. She's a dancer who captivates.There has been no one else to impress the world ofice skating before or after Oksana.She will leave a strike on the ice fora lifetime.This book is Oksana's words and is a an item of figure skatinghistory, but Oksana is still the real treasure.We have all been blessedto have been able to experience the way Oksana peforms through hervulnerable spirit. ... Read more

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Chapters: Helena Blavatsky, Yulia Tymoshenko, Ilya Kabakov, Oksana Baiul, Valentin Galochkin, Viktor Pinchuk, Victor Soultanbeieff, Polina Astakhova, Oleh Protasov, Andrei Karyaka, Tatiana Navka, Tatiana Volosozhar, Victor Kravchenko, Oleksandr Turchynov, Moses Schönfinkel, Alexander Galich, Oleksandr Garmash, Marina Maximilian Blumin, Roman Neustädter, Leonid Levin, Viktor Petrov, Roman Talan, Boris Sagal, Kyrylo Fesenko, Viktor Chebrikov, Ekaterina Kostenko, Pavlo Pashayev, Irina Movchan, Aleksandr Chertoganov, Oleg Tsarev, Vitali Danilchenko, Vitali Sazonets, Konstantin Lopushansky, Lyudmyla Kichenok, Eduard Shifrin, Oleg Tverdokhleb, Alina Dikhtiar, Włodzimierz Krygier, Vera Bjelik, Mikhail Nekrich. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 168. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Yulia Volodymyrivna Tymoshenko (Ukrainian: , , née Hryhyan; born November 27, 1960) is a Ukrainian politician. Tymoshenko was the Prime Minister of Ukraine from January 24 to September 8, 2005, and again from December 18, 2007 to March 4, 2010 when she was dismissed from the post by the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament. She is the leader of the All-Ukrainian Union "Fatherland" party and the Yulia Tymoshenko Bloc. She has been a practising economist and academic. Prior to her political career, Yulia Tymoshenko was a successful but controversial businesswoman in the gas industry, becoming by some estimates one of the richest people in the country. Before becoming Ukraine's first female Prime Minister in 2005, Tymoshenko co-led the Orange Revolution. Tymoshenko was a candidate in the Ukraine presidential elections of 2010. During the first round of voting, Tymoshenko gained approximately 25% of the votes, which put her in second place, behind Viktor Yanukovych. The two candidates progressed to a runoff election...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=1246843 ... Read more

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Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Aliona Savchenko, Viktor Petrenko, Oksana Baiul, Stanislav Morozov, Tatiana Volosozhar, Anton Kovalevski, Ruslan Goncharov, Elena Grushina, Anna Zadorozhniuk, Sergei Verbillo, Galina Efremenko, Elena Liashenko, Viacheslav Zagorodniuk, Dmitri Palamarchuk, Roman Talan, Dmitri Dmitrenko, Irina Romanova, Igor Yaroshenko, Ekaterina Kostenko, Oleg Voiko, Evgenia Filonenko, Julia Golovina, Yulia Lavrenchuk, Tatiana Chuvaeva, Igor Marchenko, Andrei Bekh, Julia Beloglazova. Excerpt:Savchenko ... Read more

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Chapters: Lilia Podkopayeva, Wladimir Klitschko, Oksana Baiul, Yana Klochkova, Kateryna Serebrianska, Vasyl Lomachenko, List of Olympic Champions of Ukraine, Inessa Kravets, Viktor Ruban, Artur Ayvazian, Olga Kharlan, Inna Osypenko, Rustam Sharipov, Nataliya Dobrynska, Elbrus Tedeyev, Yuriy Bilonoh, Timur Taymazov, Valeri Goncharov, Mykola Milchev, Olena Kostevych, Irina Merleni, Oleksandr Petriv, Yuri Nikitin, Nataliya Skakun, Olena Khomrova, Vyacheslav Oleynyk, Olha Zhovnir, Halyna Pundyk, Yevhen Braslavets, Ihor Matviyenko. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 91. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Wladimir Klitschko (Ukrainian: , Volodymyr Klychko, IPA: ; English: ; born 25 March 1976) is a Ukrainian heavyweight boxer. Klitschko is the unified IBF, WBO, IBO and Ring Magazine Champion of the world. His older brother, Vitali Klitschko, is the current WBC world heavyweight champion. Klitschko was born in Semipalatinsk, Kazakh SSR (now Kazakhstan). Though a major celebrity in his former adopted home of Germany, he moved with his older brother Vitali to Beverly Hills in 2004. Their father, Vladimir Rodionovich, was a Soviet Air Force Colonel. Their mother is Nadezhda Ulyanovna. In the summer of 1996, Klitschko finished Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky Pedagogical Institute (Ukraine) and was accepted in the postgraduate study program of Kiev University. On 18 January 2001 in a conference hall of Kiev University of physical science and sports, Klitschko presented his doctoral dissertation and was awarded a Ph.D. in Sports Science. Klitschko speaks four languages: Ukrainian, Russian, German and English. At the beginning of his professional career, he began spelling his name Wladimir. The Ukrainian version of his name is Volodymyr (), which in Russian is Vladimir (). In 1993, Klitschko won the Junior E...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=379216 ... Read more

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High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles!Oksana Serhiyivna Baiul (Ukrainian: Оксана Сергіївна Баюл) (born 16 November 1977) is a Ukrainian professional figure skater. She is the 1994 Olympic Champion.Baiul was born in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukrainian SSR, USSR. Her parents divorced when she was two years old and she was raised by her mother, Marina. Marina died of ovarian cancer when Oksana was thirteen; Oksana had already lost her maternal grandparents and had no other relatives. Her coach looked after her for a while, but when he emigrated to Canada, she was on her own and sleeping on a cot at her hometown ice rink. She was eventually taken in by Galina Zmievskaya, the top-ranked figure-skating coach in Odessa, sharing a small bedroom in her new mentor's crowded three-room apartment with one of the woman's own daughters. Zmievskaya's pupil and son-in-law, Olympic figure-skating champion Viktor Petrenko, helped cover Baiul's expenses. ... Read more

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Les achats comprennent une adhésion à l'essai gratuite au club de livres de l'éditeur, dans lequel vous pouvez choisir parmi plus d'un million d'ouvrages, sans frais. Le livre consiste d'articles Wikipedia sur : Champions Olympiques Ukrainiens, Natalia Dobrynska, Jana Klotchkova, Oksana Baiul, Inessa Kravets, Olga Kharlan, Olena Khomrova, Halyna Pundyk, Olga Zhovnir, Inna Osypenko-Radomska, Irini Merleni. Non illustré. Mises à jour gratuites en ligne. Extrait : Liste des sportifs ukrainiens (par sport et par chronologie) médaillés d'or lors des Jeux olympiques d'été et d'hiver, à titre individuel ou par équipe, de 1994 à 2008. ...http://booksllc.net/?l=fr ... Read more

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This digital document, covering the life and work of Oksana Baiul, is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thompson Gale. The length of the entry is 1384 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author

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Les achats comprennent une adhésion à l'essai gratuite au club de livres de l'éditeur, dans lequel vous pouvez choisir parmi plus d'un million d'ouvrages, sans frais. Le livre consiste d'articles Wikipedia sur : Aliona Savchenko, Elena Liashenko, Tatiana Volosozhar, Oksana Baiul, Julia Obertas, Elena Grushina. Non illustré. Mises à jour gratuites en ligne. Extrait : Aliona Savchenko (en ukrainien Олена Савченко/Olena Sawtschenko), née le 19 janvier 1984 à Kiev, est une patineuse artistique germano-ukrainienne. Son partenaire en couple est Robin Szolkowy avec lequel elle patine depuis 2003. Avec Robin Szolkowy, elle est médaillée de bronze Olympique en 2010, double championne du monde (2008-2009), triple championne d'Europe (2007-2009), championne de la Finale du Grand Prix (2007/2008) et six fois championne nationale d'Allemagne (2004-2009). Aliona Savchenko a débuté le patinage à l'âge de 3 ans. Son père était alors son entraîneur et ils patinèrent sur un lac. Lorsque Aliona eut 4 ans, son père a voulu l'inscrire dans une école de patinage artistique à Kiev. Elle ne fut pas acceptée à ce moment-là, sous prétexte qu'elle était trop jeune. Elle fut admise un an plus tard. Son premier partenaire fut Dmitri Boyenko, du club Dynamo Kiev. Le couple se sépara peu après les championnats du monde junior 1998, où le couple s'était classé 13e. Par la suite, Aliona fut équipe avec Stanislav Morozov, toujours du club Dynamo Kiev. Le couple a remporté le titre de champion du monde junior en 2000. De plus, ils ont remporté le titre national de l'Ukraine deux fois. Aux Jeux olympiques de 2002, ils se sont classés 15e. Plus tard en 2002, le couple se sépara, suite à la décision de Morozov de quitter le patinage. En mai 2003, l'entraîneur de Robin Szolkowy, Ingo Steuer, amena Savchenko à Chemnitz pour un essai avec son élève. L'essai fut une réussite et Aliona déménagea en Allemagne trois mois plus tard. Le couple remportait d'emblée le champi...http://booksllc.net/?l=fr ... Read more