Tatiana Grigorieva

ep dance tot
1 Quickstep 39
2 Jive 35
3 Foxtrot 30
4 Paso Doble 33
5 Samba 26
6 Cha Cha 28
6 Disco 26
Show Recap
Dance Partner's Info

Tatiana Grigorieva - Biography

Tatiana Grigorieva has soared to incredible heights in pole vaulting
but will she fly high in this series of Dancing With The Stars?

The stunning sports star admits she's looking forward to swapping her
runners for a pair of high heels. "It's a bit of fun," she says.
"Dancing is something I can use later in life. I want to be in my
sixties and still be able to do a few steps. The experience and
knowledge I gain will last forever." Ever the professional, Tatiana is
already training up to five hours a day and is hoping to improve her
flexibility. "I want to do the splits by the end of it," she says.
"That's my goal!" As a former national level 400m hurdler in Russia,
the blonde beauty took up Pole Vaulting when she migrated to Australia
in 1997. Within 12 months, she was one of the World's best, placing
3rd in the `98 Goodwill Games in New York. In her first appearance at
the World Championships in 1999, she won bronze. Yet, it was the 2000
Olympic Games in Sydney that truly catapulted her into the spotlight
when she jumped a personal best to win silver.

At the 2001 World Championships in Canada, Tatiana equaled her
personal best to claim fourth in spite of injury. In the final
competition of the season she edged very close to the World Record
with a clearance of 4.56m (a personal best jump) in Yokohama.

At her first Commonwealth Games in 2002, Tatiana's goal was to win
gold and set a new Games Record – she achieved both. In 2003 and 2004,
injury, illness and the emotional strain of her marriage breakup,
resulted in her missing opportunities to represent Australia in the
World Championships and Olympics. In 2005, she put all of that behind
her and made the finals of the World Championship. In 2006, she
defended her title at the Commonwealth Games and walked away with a
silver. In 2006 Tatiana had her best ever international season,
jumping over 4.5m six times and recording two new personal best
heights to place in the top 10 and has decided to end her sporting
career on a high, recently announcing her retirement from the sport.

Tatiana has formed her own foundation Gift for Dreams, which aims to
inspire disadvantaged young Australians through sporting and
recreational program. She is also continuing studies towards a Health
Science degree at the Australian College of Natural Medicine and has
completed qualifications in Reiki, Pilates and Yoga.

Tatiana will support Camp Quality, a non-profit organisation committed
to bringing hope and happiness to children living with cancer, their
families and communities through ongoing recreational, educational,
hospital and financial support programs. "They do fantastic work and
make such a difference," she says.