History of Oksana Baiul in Timeline

Oksana Baiul is a Ukrainian retired competitive figure skater who achieved significant success in the early 1990s. She became the 1993 World Champion and, most notably, the 1994 Olympic Champion in ladies' singles figure skating. Her Olympic victory was particularly memorable and cemented her place in figure skating history.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

November 1977: Oksana Baiul Born

In November 1977, Oksana Baiul was born in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union.

November 16, 1977: Oksana Baiul's Birth

On November 16, 1977, Oksana Serhiyivna Baiul-Farina was born. She is a Ukrainian retired competitive figure skater.

1987: Death of Grandfather

In 1987, Oksana Baiul's grandfather passed away.

1988: Death of Grandmother

In 1988, Oksana Baiul's grandmother passed away.

1991: Death of Mother

In 1991, Oksana Baiul's mother died suddenly of ovarian cancer when Baiul was 13 years old.

March 1992: Koritek Offered Coaching Job

In March 1992, Oksana Baiul's coach, Koritek, was offered a coaching job in Toronto, Ontario. He accepted due to lack of support for the sport in Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

August 1992: Began Training with Zmievskaya

In August 1992, Alfred Koritek called coach Galina Zmievskaya on Oksana Baiul's behalf, and she took Baiul on as a student, moving her to her home in Odesa. Zmievskaya welcomed her into her circle of elite skaters, and provided her shelter in her family's cramped three-room apartment in the city.

1992: Viktor Petrenko Wins Gold

In 1992, Viktor Petrenko wins gold at the Winter Olympics making him the first skater representing Ukraine to win gold at the Winter Olympics.

1992: Moved to Odesa

In mid-1992, Oksana Baiul moved to Odesa and lived chiefly in a dormitory, with her expenses covered by the state due to her promising skating career.

1993: Silver at European Championships

In 1993, Oksana Baiul competed and took the silver medal at the European Championships in Helsinki, finishing second to Surya Bonaly of France.

1993: Lived with Galina Zmievskaya

In 1993, Oksana Baiul lived a month with coach Galina Zmievskaya between the European and World championships.

1993: World Champion

In 1993, despite crashing into the boards and displacing disks in her back and neck before the World Championships in Prague, Oksana Baiul competed in skates with crooked blades and won, becoming world champion at age 15.

May 1994: Signed with William Morris Endeavor

In May 1994, at age 16, Oksana Baiul signed an agreement with the American talent agency William Morris Endeavor after Zmievskaya negotiated a contract for her to tour the United States following the Olympics.

1994: Moved to United States

After the 1994 Winter Olympics, Oksana Baiul moved to the United States and started living in Simsbury, Connecticut.

1994: Olympic Gold Medal

In 1994, Oksana Baiul won the Olympic gold medal in Ladies' singles at the Winter Olympics. She received pain-killing injections to compete, adding an unplanned triple jump and winning by a slim margin. Ukraine named her in 1994 as a Merited Master of Sports.

1994: Silver at European Championships and Collision

In 1994, Oksana Baiul won the silver medal at the European Championships in Copenhagen, finishing second to Bonaly. During practice at the 1994 Winter Olympics, she collided with Tanja Szewczenko, sustaining injuries.

1994: Moved to Simsbury, Connecticut

In 1994, Zmievskaya was asked to lead the coaching staff at Simsbury, Connecticut's newly built International Skating Center. Both Oksana Baiul and Viktor Petrenko followed her there to train with her.

1994: Knee Surgery and Touring

In the summer of 1994, Oksana Baiul required arthroscopic knee surgery and was advised to rest for two months, but she resumed skating in two weeks and returned to performing in six due to her touring contract, which hindered her jumping ability.

January 1997: Arrested for DUI

In January 1997, Oksana Baiul was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol after crashing her car into a tree in Bloomfield, Connecticut.

May 1997: Entered Rehab

In May 1997, Oksana Baiul entered an alcohol rehabilitation program for two and a half months.

May 1997: Dropped from Champions on Ice tour

In May 1997, Oksana Baiul was dropped from the Champions on Ice tour due to concerns about her drinking.

1997: Baiul Publishes Books

In 1997, Oksana Baiul published two books, one being a memoir about her life and the other about skating.

August 1998: Began Training Under Natalia Linichuk

In August 1998, after completing a rehab program, Oksana Baiul began training under Natalia Linichuk at the University of Delaware's skating center. She has continued to skate professionally from time to time, including an engagement with the touring show Broadway on Ice.

September 2003: Reunited with Father

In September 2003, Oksana Baiul reunited with her father Sergey Baiul, with the help of her old rink's manager in Dnipro, when she was 25 years old.

2004: Sober for Six Years

In a 2004 interview, Oksana Baiul stated that she had been sober for six years, emphasizing that it was more important than winning Olympic gold.

November 2005: Appeared on Celebrity Poker Showdown

In November 2005, Oksana Baiul appeared on the Bravo television program Celebrity Poker Showdown.

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2005: Identifies as Jewish

In 2005, Oksana Baiul decided to identify as Jewish, due to her maternal grandmother being Jewish and the custom of matrilineality in Judaism. She said, "Being Jewish, that feels good. It feels natural, like a second skin".

December 2006: Skated in Moscow

In December 2006, Oksana Baiul traveled to Russia and skated at the Red Square ice rink in Moscow, alongside champions from Russia, China, France, and other countries.

2006: Judge on Master of Champions

In 2006, Oksana Baiul was part of the celebrity panel of judges on the ABC show Master of Champions.

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2006: Sergey Baiul's Death

In 2006, Oksana Baiul's father, Sergey Baiul, died. He had disappeared shortly after her parents divorced when she was two years old.

February 2007: Collaborated with Saule Rachmedova

In February 2007, Oksana Baiul collaborated with Saule Rachmedova, a renowned ballet dancer, to bring together Ice Theatre of New York and couture fashion for the debut of fashion designer Levi Okunov's "Winter Collection."

May 2007: Cold as Ice Stage Production

In May 2007, a full stage version of Cold As Ice, a skating stage musical featuring a story by Frank D'Agostino about skaters preparing for championships and the Olympics, was produced and presented by the Gateway Playhouse.

March 2009: Guest Appearance at Kate Wollman Skating Rink

On 8 March 2009, Oksana Baiul made a guest appearance at the Kate Wollman Skating Rink at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York, as part of its annual show. She also took part in meet-and-greet sessions with skating students after each performance.

March 2010: Guest Appearance at Kate Wollman Skating Rink

On 14 March 2010, Oksana Baiul made a guest appearance at the Kate Wollman Skating Rink at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York, as part of its annual show. She also took part in meet-and-greet sessions with skating students after each performance.

March 2010: Skated for One Step Closer HIV AIDS

On 27 March 2010, Oksana Baiul skated at a figure skating exhibition for One Step Closer HIV AIDS, a benefit for the AIDS Resource Foundation for Children. She performed her signature Swan Lake program.

November 2011: Accounting Discrepancies Discovered

In November 2011, Carlo Farina, Oksana Baiul's manager and future husband, discovered accounting and collection discrepancies in her account at William Morris Endeavor.

March 2012: Moved to Pennsylvania

In March 2012, Oksana Baiul moved to Pennsylvania, settling in Upper Makefield Township, Bucks County.

November 2012: Lawsuit Filed Against William Morris Endeavor

In November 2012, after collecting $9.5 million from William Morris Endeavor, Oksana Baiul filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles for an additional $1 million in compensatory damages and more in punitive damages.

2012: Marriage to Carlo Farina

In 2012, Oksana Baiul married her manager Carlo Farina in Pennsylvania and took the name Oksana Baiul-Farina.

February 2013: Sued NBCUniversal

In February 2013, Oksana Baiul sued NBCUniversal for their alleged illicit promotional use of her likeness.

October 2013: Filed Lawsuit in New York

In October 2013, Oksana Baiul, having withdrawn the November case, filed a broader lawsuit in New York.

January 2015: Accusations of Fraud

In January 2015, Oksana Baiul publicly accused her former coaches and compatriots Galina Zmievskaya, Viktor Petrenko, and their manager, Joseph Lemire, of fraud.

2015: Birth of Daughter Sophia

In 2015, Oksana Baiul and Carlo Farina's daughter, Sophia, was born.

2022: Moved to Shreveport, Louisiana

In 2022, Oksana Baiul and Carlo Farina moved to Shreveport, Louisiana, with their daughter, Sophia, in pursuit of a business venture.

2025: Divorce Filing and Move to Las Vegas

In 2025, Carlo Farina filed for divorce from Oksana Baiul. Baiul subsequently put her Shreveport home up for sale and announced she was moving back to Las Vegas, Nevada.