Viktor Petrenko

Viktor Petrenko, the 1992 Olympic Gold Medalist first gained international acclaim in 1984 when he won the World Junior Championships.

In 1988 he captured medals at the Olympics, World and European Championships and established himself among the elite in men’s figure skating.

He continued his winning ways, and the pinnacle of his competitive career came in 1992 when he beat all competitors and made a sweep of the Olympic, World and European gold medal, establishing himself as "OLYMPIC CHAMPION."

The name Petrenko has become synonymous with great artistry and superior technical skill.

Viktor Petrenko

As an amateur and now as a professional, Viktor has become one of the most popular and well-known international skaters, hailed for his versatility as a performer. Whether he is performing to the classics, to romantic love songs, or modern rock ‘n’ roll, his programs always blend explosive power, deep emotion and a special audience appeal that few can equal.

He is one of the most popular skaters today and has developed an enormous following of fans worldwide.

Viktor was born and raised in Odessa, Ukraine, when the country was still part of the Soviet Union. His major triumphs came during the period of the collapse of the USSR, and fans may be a little confused to see that the official record books list his Olympic and World titles with him representing neither Russia nor Ukraine but CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States). This was the temporary name given to the former Soviet countries for two short years prior to the re-establishment of each country’s own independent skating and Olympic federations.

Under the guidance of renowned coach, Galina Zmievskaya guided Viktor's amateur success and continues to assist his professional career in the dual role of coach and mother-in-law. In the summer of 1992, after a lengthy courtship, Viktor married his coach’s daughter, Nina Melnick, a former skater who is now a choreographer. They are the parents of a 8 year-old daughter named Victoria and make their home in New Jersey. Viktor's new training facility is the Ice Vault Arena and Wayne, New Jersey.

Viktor is celebrating his 20th year on the CHAMPIONS ON ICE TOUR that tours throughout the United States, Europe and Japan.

Viktor has his own charity, "Viktory 4 Kids."  It is a show that raises money to benefit children who are still being affected by the 1986 nuclear explosion in Chornobyl, Ukraine. This past year it helped raise $135,000 in donations and medical care equipment. The show features an all-star cast of National, World and Olympic skating champions.