Makar Denisovich Ignatov (, born 21 June 2000) is a Russian figure skater who currently competes as an Individual Neutral Athlete. He is the 2019 CS Nebelhorn Trophy champion, 2019 Rostelecom Cup bronze medalist, 2016 Cup of Nice bronze medalist and 2021 Russian national silver medalist.
In 2017, he won two medals on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series – silver in Latvia and bronze in Croatia. He is married to fellow figure skater Alexandra Trusova.
Personal life In September 2022, Ignatov received a summons to appear at the military commissariat for a potential call-up to serve in the Russian Army during the 2022 Russian mobilization.
In late 2023, Ignatov began dating fellow Russian figure skater Alexandra Trusova. On 17 June 2024, they formally announced their engagement on Instagram, and subsequently married on 17 August 2024.
On 22 March 2025, Ignatov and Trusova announced they were expecting their first child by sharing a video on Instagram. In April 2025, the couple revealed that they are expecting a son. A post shared on 8 August announced that their son, Mikhail, was born. A video later shared by Sasha confirmed Mikhail was born two days before the announcement and was born on 6 August.
Career
Early years Makar Ignatov began learning to skate in 2004. He missed two seasons due to knee problems and returned to competition in 2016. Making his international senior debut, he won bronze at the 2016 International Cup of Nice in mid-October. He finished fourth at the 2017 Russian Junior Championships after placing fifth in the short program and 3rd in the free skate.
2017–18 season Ignatov's junior international debut came in early September 2017 at a 2017–18 ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) competition in Riga, Latvia; ranked second in both segments, he won the silver medal. He received the bronze medal at his second JGP assignment in Zagreb, Croatia. With these results, he qualified for the 2017–18 JGP Final in Nagoya, Japan, where he placed fourth.
In October 2017, Ignatov competed in his first ISU Challenger Series event, the 2017 CS Minsk-Arena Ice Star, where he placed fifth. A month later, he placed seventh at the 2017 CS Tallinn Trophy. At the 2018 Russian Championships, he placed twelfth on the senior level and sixth at the junior event.
2018–19 season In the summer of 2018, Ignatov broke a bone in his right foot while practicing a jump at a training camp. He returned to competition in late November, at the Tallinn Trophy. In February, Ignatov placed fourth at the Russian Cup Final with first technical element score in the free skate. In March, he won the St. Petersburg Cup Final with two clean performances, including two quads and triple Axels in each of the programs.
2019–20 season In late September, Ignatov won gold at the 2019 CS Nebelhorn Trophy after placing seventh in the short program and first in the free skate. He made his Grand Prix debut at the 2019 Rostelecom Cup, winning the bronze medal. At his second Grand Prix assignment, the 2019 NHK Trophy, he placed seventh.
At the 2020 Russian Championships, Ignatov won the short program, making only a slight error on his quad toe loop and receiving low marks on his spins. Fourth in the free skate after two step-outs and repeated spin level issues, he dropped to fourth place overall.
2020–21 season Ignatov debuted his programs at the Russian senior test skates, including the new quad loop. Competing on the domestic Cup of Russia series, he won bronze medals at the first stage in Syzran and the fourth stage in Kazan.
With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to affect international travel, the ISU opted to run the Grand Prix based primarily on geographic location. Ignatov was assigned to the 2020 Rostelecom Cup, placing fourth in the short program and landing a clean quad loop but underrotating part of his jump combination. He landed three quads in the free skate, including another loop, but dropped to seventh place overall.
Competing at the 2021 Russian Championships, Ignatov placed second in the short program with a clean skate, four points behind leader Mikhail Kolyada. He struggled with some jump landings in the free skate, placing third in that segment behind Kolyada and Mark Kondratiuk, but remained in the silver medal position overall.
Following the national championships, Ignatov participated in the 2021 Channel One Trophy, a televised team event organized in lieu of the European Championships. He was selected for the Red Machine team captained by Alina Zagitova. He placed second in the short program and third in the free skate, and the Red Machine team claimed the trophy. Subsequently, he competed at the Russian Cup Final, which was widely assumed to be the deciding event for the second Russian men's berth at the 2021 World Championships in Stockholm. He placed eighth at the event.
2021–22 season Ignatov began the season on the Grand Prix at the 2021 Skate Canada International, where he finished fourth. He finished fourth as well at this second event, 2021 NHK Trophy.
At the 2022 Russian Championships, Ignatov finished in tenth place. In February, he participated in Russian Cup Final. He placed third in the short program but skated a strong free program and went to win first place.
2026–27 season On 30 June 2026, the International Skating Union announced that figure skaters from Russia and Belarus would be allowed to compete at international competitions as Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs). Each of these skaters are be required to undergo an individual assessment conducted by the ISU Council to determine whether they meet the criteria for neutral status. Ignatov's application was approved, making him eligible to compete internationally as a neutral athlete.
Records and achievements The first Russian and also European skater to land four quadruple jumps in the free skate and also six quadruple jumps in two programs (at the 2021 NHK Trophy).
Programs Season Short program Free skating 2024–2025 Solo Eternity 2023-2024 My Funny Valentine Habanera 2022–2023 So Far Gatsby Believed in the Green Light Boom Boom Avarice 2021–2022 Iron Sky Piano Concerto No. 1 2020–2021 I Can't Go On Without You Je suis malade 2019–2020 In This Shirt Remember 2018–2019 Ghost the Musical Unchained Melody 2017–2018 Per Te Piano Concerto in F sharp minor, Op. 20
Competitive highlights GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix
International Event 11–12 16–17 17–18 18–19 19–20 20–21 21–22 22–23 23–24 24–25 25–26 NHK Trophy 7th 4th Rostelecom Cup 3rd 7th Skate Canada 4th Golden Spin 3rd Ice Star 5th Nebelhorn 1st Tallinn Trophy 7th Cup of Nice 3rd 9th Denis Ten Memorial 2nd International: Junior Final 4th Croatia 3rd Latvia 2nd Tallinn Trophy 4th National Russian Champ. 12th 4th 2nd 10th 7th 6th 6th 13th Russian Jr. Champ. 10th 4th 6th Russian Cup Final 1st J 4th 1st 8th 1st 5th 9th
Detailed results Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships.
Senior level 2021–22 season Date Event SP FS Total 25–27 March 2022 2022 Channel One Trophy 4 89.43 6 137.32 1T/5P 226.75 23–27 February 2022 2022 Russian Cup Final 3 83.06 1 176.79 1 259.85 21–26 December 2021 2022 Russian Championships 3 95.84 14 154.93 10 250.77 12–14 November 2021 2021 NHK Trophy 4 90.54 4 166.66 4 257.20 29–31 October 2021 2021 Skate Canada International 4 89.79 5 154.38 4 244.17 2020–21 season Date Event SP FS Total 26 Feb. – 2 Mar. 2021 2021 Russian Cup Final 7 84.66 7 148.99 8 233.65 5–7 February 2021 2021 Channel One Trophy 2 99.81 3 176.43 1T/3P 276.24 23–27 December 2020 2021 Russian Championships 2 98.30 3 167.07 2 265.37 20–22 November 2020 2020 Rostelecom Cup 4 91.82 7 168.96 7 260.78 2019–20 season Date Event SP FS Total 24–29 December 2019 2020 Russian Championships 1 88.88 4 160.58 4 249.46 4–7 December 2019 2019 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb 8 72.66 2 156.56 3 229.22 22–24 November 2019 2019 NHK Trophy 5 78.47 8 143.98 7 222.45 15–17 October 2019 2019 Rostelecom Cup 3 87.54 3 165.33 3 252.87 9–12 October 2019 2019 Denis Ten Memorial Challenge 4 72.80 2 142.19 2 214.99 25–28 September 2019 2019 CS Nebelhorn Trophy 7 65.28 1 155.23 1 220.51
Junior level
2018–19 season Date Event Level SP FS Total 26 Nov. – 2 Dec. 2018 2018 Tallinn Trophy Junior 2 64.69 5 100.64 4 165.33 2017–18 season Date Event Level SP FS Total 23–26 January 2018 2018 Russian Junior Championships Junior 5 74.79 8 140.45 6 215.24 21–24 December 2017 2018 Russian Championships Senior 11 75.81 10 141.44 12 217.25 7–10 December 2017 2017–18 Junior Grand Prix Final Junior 4 75.78 4 136.21 4 211.99 21–26 November 2017 2017 CS Tallinn Trophy Senior 8 65.40 7 131.31 7 196.71 26–29 October 2017 2017 CS Minsk-Arena Ice Star Senior 7 71.68 5 144.65 5 216.33 11–15 October 2017 2017 Cup of Nice Senior 8 69.95 9 125.52 9 195.47 27–30 September 2017 2017 JGP Croatia Junior 4 72.00 1 147.22 3 219.22 6–9 September 2017 2017 JGP Latvia Junior 2 64.95 2 131.93 2 196.88 2016–17 season Date Event Level SP FS Total 1–5 February 2017 2017 Russian Junior Championships Junior 5 77.55 3 152.99 4 230.54 22–24 September 2016 2016 Cup of Nice Senior 3 67.94 3 131.45 3 199.39 2011–12 season 5–7 February 2012 2012 Russian Junior Championships Junior 10 56.85 9 113.08 10 169.93
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