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 Biography
 Irina was born on February 9, 1979. She started skating when she was four, her mother started her in the sport because she thought Irina was sick too much and thought she had to do something outside. At first Irina cried, but after a while she started to like it. Soon after she started skating she started taking ballet to help support her skating, and it has payed off, she is the only women who is able to do the Biellmann on both legs. Irina has been coached by Zhanna Gromova since she was six. Irina never wanted to be a pairs skater or ice dancer. She loves singles skating and loves to jump. Irina doesn't have harder or easier jumps, for her they are all difficult and she must work at practicing them all. Like Brian Boitano she can do a double axel, and a double toe loop with one arm over her head. Brian Boitano and Katarina Witt were her favorite skaters growing up.
Irina first came on to the Internation skating scene when she was fourteen with an 8th place finish at the 1993 World Junior Championships. She was virtually unknown until she won the short program at the 1994 Skate America and finished third overall. She also placed third at the 1994 World Junior Championships. The following year she won the World Junior Championships, and placed fifth at Europeans and seventh at Worlds.
In 1996 Irina had great success when she won the European Championships, Centennial on Ice , placed second at the Champions Series Final, and won a bronze at the World Championships.
Irina started the 1996-1997 season well by winning all her Champions Series events: Skate Canada, Nations Cup, and Cup of Russia. Making her a top contender for the Champions Series Final were she finished third. At the 1997 Europeans Irina won her second European title making her the first Russian women ever to do that. At the 1997 Worlds Irina was sixth after the Short Program. In the final morning practice before the Long Program, Irina fell badly against the bords causing a back injury which made it painful for her to jump. Still Irina skated well landing six triple jumps, but decided to take out a triple loop at the end of her program, and finished fourth overall.
Irina had a shaky 1997-1998 season. She finished second at Nations Cup, and then went on to win the Cup of Russia. But she only finished a disappointing fourth at the Russian Nationals with made it more difficult for her to make the Olympic team. She was also fourth at the Champions Series Final, and was second at the European Championshps landing her a spot on the Russian Olympic team. At the 1998 Olympics Irina got placed in fifth after the short, Although she skated a fairly good long program she stayed in fifth. At the 1998 World Championships a fall on her triple lutz in the Short Program placed her fourth, Irina skated a sparkling long program landing two triple/triple combinations and for the first time in a while, the joy was back on her face! She won the Silver Medal!
Irina is currently working and training hard for the upcoming season, she is scheduled to compete at the Goodwill Games and plans to stay egible for the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City where she certainly plans to be a contender.
 
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