Gordeeva’s Grace On Skates Overshadows Her Sadness

Ekaterina Gordeeva’s music began blaring at the Bradley Center on Thursday. Katarina Witt and Kristi Yamaguchi stopped practicing and glided to the boards at the edge of the ice - like dancers clearing the floor for the hottest couple.

They watched with admiration as Gordeeva found herself alone on the ice, spinning, springing, skating in her balletic style to Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Elegy in E-Flat Minor.”

They applauded when she was through, then resumed their own preparations for tonight’s Northwestern Mutual Life World Team Championship, where Gordeeva makes her solo competition debut.

Gordeeva’s husband, Sergei Grinkov, died of a heart attack while the couple that won two Olympic titles and the admiration of the figure skating world was practicing last November.

“She’s been through a tragic year with her husband’s death, but you almost forget when you see her,” Witt said. “I mean, you do forget, which is nice, because you should watch her and enjoy her skating and not think about the sadness.”

“It’s definitely special,” said Yamaguchi, who toured with Gordeeva with Stars on Ice. “I think we’re all out here supporting her. As much as she’s enjoying it, we’re enjoying seeing her skate.”

Gordeeva said she’s not even sure this is what her husband would have wanted her to do.

But she’s continuing her figure skating career not only to honor him, but to help conquer her grief and to support the couple’s daughter, Daria, who just turned 4.

“It may sound selfish,” Gordeeva said. “But this is the only thing I can do for myself to heal. I’m just very happy and thankful to God that he gives me at least this, to be able to continue to skate.

“This is the thing I can do well. I don’t have 100 percent confidence in myself yet, not on the ice and not in life.”