Five-time U.S. Ice Dancing Champion Naomi Lang Announces Birth of Daughter

Five-time U.S. ice dancing champion Naomi Lang and Ukrainian ice acrobat Vladimir Besedin with their new daughter, Lillia Ashlee. Photo courtesy of Leslie Dixon

(9/7/04) — Five-time U.S. ice dancing champion Naomi Lang and Ukrainian ice acrobat Vladimir Besedin have announced the birth of a daughter, Lillia Ashlee, on Aug. 26, 2004. Lillia was born at 2:37 p.m., in Brooklyn, N.Y., weighed 7 pounds and was 19 1/2 inches long.

Along with her partner Peter Tchernyshev, Lang captured five U.S. ice dancing titles and represented the United States in five World Championships and the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. At the 2004 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Atlanta, Ga., the duo placed second in the compulsory dance but withdrew prior to the original dance after Lang reinjured her Achilles tendon. It turned out to be the final competition for the duo.

On Feb. 17, Lang and Tchernyshev announced the end of their eight-year partnership. At that time, Lang also announced that she was expecting her first child with Besedin.