
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, November 21, 1995                   TAG: 9511210101
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LAKE PLACID, N.Y.                                LENGTH: Short

RUSSIAN ICE SKATER GRINKOV DEAD AT 28

Sergei Grinkov, who with his wife won two Olympic gold medals for a romantic skating style that mirrored their off-ice love story, died Monday of an apparent heart attack while practicing for a show.

The 28-year-old Russian was practicing with his 5-foot-1 wife, Ekaterina Gordeeva, when he complained of dizziness, knelt to the ice and then collapsed at the USA Rink, practice rink adjacent to the Olympic Arena, said a witness who asked not to be identified. Over the objections of Gordeeva, an autopsy was planned for today.

Grinkov's death was a sudden and tragic end to the era of ``G&G,'' an era that started while they were children skating in a Moscow club and culminated in two Olympic gold medals and four world championships.

``We are deeply saddened by the untimely loss of Sergei Grinkov,'' said Morry Stillwell, president of the U.S. Figure Skating Association. ``As one of the greatest pair skaters in the history of figure skating, his tremendous contributions to the sport will never be forgotten.''

Grinkov and Gordeeva were scheduled to appear March 6 at the Roanoke Civic Center in the "Stars on Ice" show, said Chris Powell, the center's marketing coordinator. The couple skated in Roanoke last December in the same show.

by CNB