Their Golden Touch
Sergei was the only man besides my husband that could give me butterflies. He was the strong, silent one; a master at holding back while showing off his petite wife and partner, Katia, whom the fans adored and gave the accolades too. Sergei never seemed to mind; he was proud of her, but humble regarding himself.
Sergei, according to those who knew him best, was dependable and had an intelligent sense of humor. In all essence, he was near perfect.
I never had the privilege of seeing Sergei and Katia skate in person but I’ve been told that he was even more handsome in person, but also the kind of guy that made you feel at ease in his presence and was remarkably easy to talk to.
Sergei and Katia were the epitome of soul mates; a stunning couple that emitted nothing but harmony, happiness, and romantic love. Karen Courtland, a former pair’s skater once said, “Even their hearts beat in unison.”
When Sergei died, my love of figure skating died with him. I have yet to see a pair team command such passionate emotion as G&G did, and effortlessly at that. I miss Sergei and Katia; the two of them harmoniously together. They gave the world a special gift; a glimpse of the kind of love that enchants and inspires, which seems to be the rarest kind of love.
There is something about Katia that enthralls the masses. She commands the attention from many without even trying. She has that magic that transcends ordinary. It was in the early 1980’s that I first saw her and Sergei and what a pair they were -magnificent. It was the two of them that perked my interest in figure skating and it was their harmony on and off the ice that compelled me to follow their career.
During the 1988 Olympics in Calgary, I became an even bigger fan. I was 15 at the time and was blown away by their Olympic performances. What was it about them that made them so breathtaking? Simply put, they had it all. They also looked like they belonged together. They blended together so well that it was no surprise when their love story culminated in their April 1991 marriage; he was 23, and she, just 19.
From where I stood, their lives seemed to be charmed and I was pleased to see updates on their lives in what skating features deemed ‘fluff pieces.’ I can’t speak for anyone but I can’t imagine any one ever being jealous of them. Like Scott Hamilton once said, “When you see them together you just want them to live happily ever after.” I know I did and that is why I was crushed when I heard Sergei died of a heart attack at the age of 28 on November 20th 1995. The truth of his death was inconceivable to me. How could they be torn apart? I thought that they would end up living like Oleg and Ludmilla Protopopov and skate into their geriatric yearsâÂ?¦.fluid, graceful, and always beautiful. I thought that they would be blessed with more children and Sergei himself indicated he wanted three.
Now as Katia travels down a different road with a new husband, Ilia Kulik (1998 Olympic Gold Medalist), and a precious new daughter, Elizaveta, I can’t help but feel a pang of sadness; sadness that G&G are no more. I don’t begrudge Katia comfort, companionship, and the overuse of her right to ‘move on.’ I am only selfishly grieved that a real life fairy tale came to a shocking end, which reiterated how fragile and cruel life can be.
Sergei Grinkov was the noble, mysterious partner who proudly and unselfishly let Katia shine. He certainly didn’t get the credit due him but like all great men he thought of another before himself, and did so with a happy heart, and that’s one of the reasons he will never be forgotten.
In closing, Sergei Grinkov and Ekaterina Gordeeva exemplified the beauty in life. With all the pain and suffering abounding, it was G&G who could effortlessly hypnotize people into another world. I will always miss their skating and their incredible story. Will there ever be another like it? We can only imagine.
