Foto: BB.LV / Алексей Тихонов и Мария Петрова
Two years later, the figure skater returned and asked for forgiveness. Maria did not immediately agree to give him a second chance, but this union brought both of them not only worldwide fame but also family happiness. Future world champions Alexey Tikhonov and Maria Petrova went through a difficult path to each other. Their relationship included breakups, grievances, years of waiting, and reluctance to rush into marriage. ### To Japan for Earnings, but Met Fate Alexey Tikhonov was born in Kuibyshev and began figure skating at an early age. Initially, he competed as a singles skater, but during his teenage years, he faced difficulties performing triple jumps due to a sudden growth spurt and decided to switch to pair skating. The first successes came quickly. Together with Irina Saifutdinova, he won bronze at the junior world championship. Later, he competed with Ekaterina Murogova, but she got married and ended her sports career. In the early 1990s, Tikhonov found himself in a difficult situation: he had no partner, no money, and the prospects were unclear. An unexpected offer came from Japan, where pair figure skating was just beginning to develop. Alexey was invited to compete for this country with Yukiko Kawasaki. He agreed. The Japanese period brought two national championship victories and a bronze medal at the 1993 NHK Trophy. However, he did not achieve significant international success. Life away from home was also challenging. Alexey struggled with the language barrier, did not always find common ground with his partner, and increasingly thought about returning home. But it was in Japan that he had a meeting that changed his life. ### "His Voice Captured My Soul Immediately" At one of the competitions in Chiba, Japan, Tikhonov met Maria Petrova. The figure skater was six years younger than him and had already achieved notable success. Competing with Anton Sikharulidze, she won two gold and one silver medal at junior world championships. Alexey, who had settled in Japan, showed Russian athletes the local sights. Maria noticed the tall, strong, and kind young man. She was particularly struck by his voice — soft, calm, and surprisingly warm. Later, she admitted that Tikhonov captured her soul almost immediately. However, at that time, neither of them suspected that their chance meeting would mark the beginning of a great love. ### The Disappearance She Could Not Understand After returning from Japan, Alexey decided to leave competitions and began performing in Tatiana Tarasova's ice theater. This allowed him to earn money and feel more confident. Meanwhile, Maria's sports career was also undergoing changes. Anton Sikharulidze, who had fallen in love with Elena Berezhnaya, stopped performing with Petrova. Coach Lyudmila Velikova suggested that Maria team up with Tikhonov. It seemed that fate had brought them together again at the most opportune moment. The figure skaters began training, getting used to each other, and making plans. However, after a few weeks, Alexey suddenly disappeared. He did not call, offered no explanations, and simply stopped showing up. Maria was so worried that she and her mother began calling hospitals in St. Petersburg. They feared that something had happened to the young man. Only after contacting Tikhonov's mother did they learn that he was alive and well. For Maria, this was a heavy blow. Later, Alexey explained his actions as stemming from fear of uncertainty. He felt that the training was not going well, and returning to competitive sports would again make him financially dependent on his parents. Moreover, after working with Tatiana Tarasova, it was difficult to adjust to new coaches. Instead of having an open conversation with his partner, Tikhonov decided to return to the ice show. ### A Second Chance Had to Be Earned After Alexey's disappearance, Maria seriously considered ending her career. Eventually, she began performing with Teymuraz Pulin and won silver at the junior world championship. And Tikhonov gradually realized the mistake he had made. He understood that he wanted to skate specifically with Petrova. Moreover, it was not just about sports prospects: he liked Maria as a woman. Alexey began calling, apologizing, and asking for her to return. But forgiving him turned out to be not so easy. Maria was not ready to trust someone who had once left her without explanation. It took about two years before she decided to give him another chance. And this time, everything turned out differently. Just four months after resuming their performances together, the couple won the Bofrost Cup on Ice tournament in Germany. Soon, other significant successes followed.  ### A Love That Brought World Championship Gold Tikhonov and Petrova quickly became one of the strongest pairs in world figure skating. They won gold at the European Championship and became world champions in 2000. Their performances were distinguished not only by a high technical level but also by special emotionality. Audiences saw two people on the ice who shared a genuine closeness. However, off the ice, the romance did not develop as quickly. Maria had long had tender feelings for her partner, while Alexey disliked it when others tried to push him into a relationship. He preferred to make important decisions on his own. Tikhonov admitted that he noticed Maria's feelings but did not want to rush things. Only during the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, where the figure skaters placed sixth, did their relationship reach a new level: they decided to live together.  ### Why Alexey Wasn't in a Hurry to Live with His Beloved Before that, Tikhonov preferred to maintain personal space. When the couple trained in St. Petersburg, he had a separate rented apartment. After a long day at the rink, he wanted to be alone, read a book, or watch a movie. Alexey feared that having his partner constantly around would deprive him of the opportunity to rest. Maria patiently waited for him to change his attitude. Over time, the figure skater realized that his beloved woman did not hinder him from recovering; on the contrary, she helped him feel calmer and happier. From that moment on, they became not only a sports pair but also a true family. ### A Daughter Was Born, but the Wedding Never Happened In 2010, Alexey and Maria welcomed their daughter Polina. It seemed that the next step should have been a wedding. However, the figure skaters decided not to rush into officially formalizing their relationship. Maria shared that in her youth, she dreamed of getting married by the age of 24. Later, she bought a beautiful white dress reminiscent of a wedding gown and gradually stopped considering the ceremony a necessity. Moreover, the couple did not share a common opinion on what the wedding should be like. One envisioned it as a small family gathering, while the other saw it as a large celebration with numerous guests. In the end, they decided that a stamp in the passport does not determine the strength of their relationship.  The main confirmation of their love was their daughter. Polina, by the way, also became interested in figure skating, continuing the family tradition. ### Together Even After the End of Their Careers The sports journey of Tikhonov and Petrova did not end quite as they had dreamed. In the 2005/2006 season, the figure skaters won bronze medals at the world and European championships, became champions of Russia, and placed fifth at the Olympics in Turin. They intended to leave competitive sports on a high note but agreed to perform one more season. The last world championship turned out to be unsuccessful: after the short program, the pair was in 11th place, and due to Alexey's injury, they could not compete in the free skate. However, life after competition turned out to be vibrant. Tikhonov and Petrova continued to perform in ice shows and participated in productions by Ilya Averbukh. Alexey also tried his hand at acting, appearing in several series and films. Later, he took up coaching. Since 2021, Tikhonov worked with Eteri Tutberidze's team, and in 2025, he moved to Tatiana Navka's school. Once again, Maria was by his side. Alexey emphasized that they were a pair in sports and continued to work together. He especially values Maria's perspective on pair skating from the viewpoint of a woman and partner — this experience helps him in his coaching activities. ### A Love They Almost Lost Once In the story of Alexey Tikhonov and Maria Petrova, there were many moments when their paths could have diverged forever.  He left for Japan, unaware that he would meet his future life partner there. Then he himself destroyed the barely started collaboration by disappearing without explanation. And when he realized his mistake, he had to work hard to earn forgiveness. But Maria still gave him a second chance. In the end, a chance meeting in distant Japan turned into a union that withstood sports defeats, years of intense training, and the trials of everyday life. And perhaps the greatest victory of the famous figure skaters was not the gold medal at the world championship, but the fact that they managed to keep each other.
