Sasha Cohen

American figure skater renowned for exceptional flexibility and artistry, who won Olympic silver in 2006 and remains one of the sport's most celebrated stylists.

Alexandra Pauline 'Sasha' Cohen was born on 26 October 1984 in Westwood, Los Angeles, to a former ballet dancer mother and lawyer father, and switched from gymnastics to figure skating at age seven, bringing exceptional flexibility to the ice. She won her first World medal in 2004, finishing second at both the U.S. Championships and World Championships that year. Cohen became known for popularizing the 'Sasha spin', a distinctive I-spin variation showcasing her flexibility, and was the first skater to receive +3 Grade of Execution marks for spirals under the sport's modern judging system. At the 2006 Turin Olympics, she led after the short program by a narrow 0.03 points over Irina Slutskaya, and despite a fall on her opening jump in the free skate, held on to win silver, 7.98 points behind gold medalist Shizuka Arakawa. Cohen took an extended break from competition after 2006, attempting a comeback for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics before injuries prevented her from qualifying, and formally retired from competitive skating. She went on to graduate from Columbia University, worked in finance at Morgan Stanley, and has spoken openly about the mental health pressures facing Olympic athletes, including in the HBO documentary The Weight of Gold.

Exceptionally flexible, artistically dramatic skater renowned for extended spiral positions and the 'Sasha spin', a contorted variation of the I-spin

Remembered as one of the most artistically gifted skaters of her generation, whose spiral sequences and spin positions set a new standard for flexibility in the sport

• 2006 Olympic Silver Medal
• 3x World Championship Medalist
• 2006 U.S. National Champion
• 2003 Grand Prix Final Champion