Aja zanova

Highlights from Aja's life:

• Born on May 16th, 1931 in Prague, Czechoslovakia
  

• Starts skating at the age of 6
  

• Wins first competition at the age of 9
  

• 1946 Junior Czechoslovak Champion in Figure Skating
  

• 1947-1950 Czechoslovak Champion in Figure Skating, each year
  

• 1948 Bronze on European Championship, Aja is 5th on World Championship  and 5th on Winter Olympics the same year
  

• 1949 World Champion and Silver medal at European Championship
  

• Aja is praised as the first woman performing double lutz
  

• 1950 Second time World Champion, an European Champion
  

• Aja defects communist Czechoslovakia at the age of 18, and asks for political asylum to The United States of America in London
  

• Starts a new life without her family in U.S.A.
  

• Professionally skating in Ice Follies
  

• Aja's mom escapes communism under dramatic circumstances and joins her daughter in U.S.A.
  

• Star of Ice Capades - total of 18 professional seasons,  on the road for 11 months of each year. That's longer than Sonja Henie!!
  

• Aja retires from ice skating and partners with her husband, now running several successful restaurants in Manhattan, NY 
  

• Aja continues to judge ice skating competitions and acts as an Ambassador of Ice Capades
  

• In 1990 Aja visits Prague after a long 40 years and is greeted by 50K loyal fans on the Wenceslas Square.
  

• Consults  and helps to oversee the reconstruction of  New York City's largest public ice rink, the Wollman Rink.
  

• 2004 Aja receives the Medal of Merit from the President of Czech Republic
  

• 2009 Aja is inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame
  

• In the same year, she is named a Sport Legend in her home country
  

• In 2012, Czech Aja is presented with the 16th annual Gratias Agit Awards in recognition of those who promote the good name of the Czech Republic abroad
  

 Stay in touch with me to follow more about the book:

• 30 July 2015 - Aja Zanova - Steindler passes away in New York